The minister made the surprise visit on Thursday where five NCAA officials were suspended and transferred 15 others due what was described as mismanagement, embezzlement of funds and misuse of office.
The minister noted for instance that a recent audit report and investigation had brought up a secret NCAA bank account at Exim Bank, contrary to current financial regulations.
During the presidential campaign trail last year, CCM contender Dr John Magufuli made it loud and clear that he would not tolerate errant officials, saying no government official would be spared if suspected to have involved themselves in ‘dirty deals.’
He also insisted that his government would do away with the culture of protecting one another, including transferring errant officials from one work station to another.
He said his government would not condone corruption and laxity among civil servants.
While President Magufuli is walking the talk, signs of some ministers condoning the same culture we are trying to get rid of are beginning to emerge.
It is hard to comprehend how a minister can decide to transfer civil servants suspected to have participated in a wrongdoing back to the ministry’s headquarters.
It is understood that when a civil servant is brought back to the ministry’s headquarters after being suspected to have taken part in wrongdoing somewhere such a decision is taken as punishment but in reality the fellow continues to enjoy his salary, burdening taxpayers.
The same could be said on individuals suspended from duty. Today, close to 160 government officials have so far been suspended since the fifth phase was inaugurated but unfortunately some of those continue to receive full salaries while others receive half pay.
In such situations, the government now pays two people for one position - the one suspended and the other who filled in the gap.
To get rid of this burden the government should expedite investigations of the matters facing them and file cases in court so that their fate could be determined quickly.
We don’t say suspending errant officials is wrong but the question here is how quick does the government determine their fate after suspension. Should taxpayers continue paying salaries for people who stay at home year in year out?
If we may ask again, what does the government do with officials who are brought back to the ministry’s headquarters after committing offences in their work stations upcountry?
This is not the best practice when it comes to good governance.President Magufuli should discourage this trend, where part of the work could be entrusted to the Law Reform Commission to see if it is possible to revisit regulations, where obvious cases of wrongdoing can be differentiated from suspicions where the government doesn’t need to put its food down.
The difference could save millions of shillings in dissipated revenues in salaries and half salaries paid to wrongful characters.
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