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Govt. welcomes formation of Integrity Committees
Choma, August 26, 2014, ZANIS —- Government says the formation and incorporation of integrity committees (IC) in both public and private institutions is one of the effective tools in the fight against corruption.
Secretary to the Cabinet Roland Msika says the formation of the IC was also aimed at mainstreaming of integrity in all institutions in the country.
Dr Msika has noted that the creation of the ICs in all government institutions will help to prevent corruption in all its manifestations and enhance service delivery both
in the public and private sectors.
He said this in a speech read on his behalf by Southern Province Permanent Secretary Anne Sinyangwe.
This was during the official opening of the training workshop for (IC) members at Kozo Lodge today.
Dr Msika said government has placed the fight against corruption high on its agenda
because of its devastating effects on the country’s development.
He stressed that government believes that integrity committees will help in mainstreaming integrity, accountability, transparency and good governance in service delivery thereby improving the lives of Zambian people.
Dr Msika pointed out that while the government has demonstrated its strong will to fight corruption in various ways including legal, institutional and social levels through which corruption could be fought.
He said the fight against the vice should not only be limited to government efforts but that all institutions should show sound
contribution to the fight.
“This political will in the fight against corruption must be expressed or shown at corporate level, meaning that ministries, Departments, and agencies must put in place measures that should prevent corruption in all its forms in their organizations.
“In the same vein individuals in all organizations must show their real commitment in the fight by ensuring that they are personally accountable for their actions and those of their subordinates in their day to day work,” said Dr Msika.
The Secretary to the cabinet emphasized that it would be folly to believe that the fight can be won successfully without the whole organisations’s full support and participation.
Dr Msika further acknowledge that the work of IC requires human and financial resources but urged members to factor in integrity committee activities during preparations for institutional budgets.
He added that resources mobilization from non-traditional sources by institutions for integrity programmes was equally important for the successful implementation of IC.
And Anti-Corruption Commission Director General Mrs. Rosewin Wandi said IC have scored a number of successes which includes the development and implementation of service charters at various public institutions, development of codes of ethics for purposes of promoting professionalism, decentralization of service delivery, setting up and service charters among others.
Mrs Wandi said since the integrity Committees were established in 2006 with only 8 pilot institutions, the number of IC
has over the years steadily increased to 37 institutions with Konkola Copper Mines being one of the private institutions that now has IC.
She said this in a speech read on her behalf by ACC Deputy Director General Ms Ireen Lamba.
Ms. Wandi expressed her optimism that the number will increase further as government enforces the provisions of section 6(iv) of the new anti-corruption Act N0.3 of 2012 which requires the creation of committees for monitoring corruption in all institutions.
The training workshop of integrity committee members drawn members from Livingstone City Council, Mazabuka, Livingstone General Hospital, Zambia Bureau of Standards and Choma Municipal Council.
