By MILDRED KATONGO –
MORE than 1,000 police officers in 10 provinces were irregularly paid the rural hardship allowance, the latest Auditor General report has indicated.
An amount of K1,190,000 was paid to 1,855 police officers who were based in urban areas instead of paying officers operating in rural areas.
The report revealed that contrary to a Public Service Management Division circular, about 1,855 police officers were paid rural hardship allowances while working in urban areas.
The report further revealed that the amount that was given to officers in ten provinces was totalled K1, 192,966.
“An examination of accounting and other records maintained at the Zambia Police Service headquarters and divisions and physical inspections of selected projects carried out from May to July, 2015 revealed that there were some irregular payment of rural and remote hardship allowance to police officers despite working in urban areas,” the report said.
In addition, 413 police officers were irregularly paid K321,440 remote hardship allowances while working in areas not designated as remote.
The report also revealed that the Police Service misapplied the funds that were meant to construct a forensic laboratory in Lusaka West.
Despite the money amounting to K2,494,407 being released for the construction of a forensic laboratory, the work was not executed as intended as the funds were diverted to procuring 20 hectares of land.
The report said the procuring of the land was an activity which was undertaken without being budgeted for and that was contrary to the Appropriation Act of 2013.
“Further, contrary to financial Regulation No. 31(i) which required that where excess expenditure on one item can be met from savings on another item within the programme not being a programme for personal emoluments, an application for Treasury Authority shall be submitted for approval to the Secretary to the Treasury.
“Amounts totaling to K136, 033 were applied on activities which were not related to the dismantling of arrears such as payment of imprest and procurement of material,” the report revealed.