The Ministry of Finance has advised all institutions and individuals who would like to make ‘cash donations’ towards the fight of COVID-19 to deposit such funds to any of the GRZ COVID-19 Commercial Bank accounts to ensure proper handling of donations and Aid-in-kind received on behalf of the government.
The Ministry’s Secretary to the Treasury Fredson Yamba has explained that the funds will in turn be transferred to a designated account held at the Bank of Zambia – BOZ to be managed by the National Treasury.
In a statement made available to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT by the Ministry’s spokesperson Chileshe Kandeta on April 23, 2020, Yamba said the pronouncement aims to bring to the attention of all well-wishers and government representatives the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act, 2018, which requires that donations given to the Government constitute public resources and must be accounted for accordingly.
He added that all Ministries, Provinces and Public Service Controlling Agencies are requested to ensure that all COVID-19 related funds being received from the Treasury are charged on appropriate budget lines in accordance with treasury guidelines.
The Ministry has also requested that all expenditure related to COVID-19 activities in Ministries, Provinces and Public Service Controlling Agencies should be made through the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) and be subjected to statutory internal audit processes.
Meanwhile, in the case of Aid-In-Kind, Ministries, Provinces and Public Service Controlling Agencies are expected to receive and dispose such through the procedures stipulated in the law and that will be required to submit monthly returns on all Aid-In-Kind transactions to the Office of the Accountant General at the Ministry of Finance.
Yamba said the need to ensure accountability of resources can never be over emphasised, especially in the prevailing situation of this deadly pandemic hence will further ensure appropriated and donated resources are used only for activities related to COVID-19.
“The Treasury will submit a consolidated return of receipts and expenditure from Ministries, Provinces and Public Service Controlling Agencies to the Controller of Internal Audit and Office of the Auditor General for verification.” He said
