Gudyanga booted out of Parliament

HIGHER Education secretary Francis Gudyanga and his 13 subordinates were yesterday booted out of Parliament after they failed to adequately answer questions pertaining to a report on the ministry's shambolic accounts.

Gudyanga's delegation was sent packing over audited accounts of 2011, where Mutare Polytechnic was said to have spent $1,5 million on casual farmworkers without seeking Public Service Commission authority.

The officials failed to explain the measures taken to ensure institutions of higher learning operating under their ministry followed proper accounting procedures despite having received a letter of invitation to appear before the committee more than a fortnight ago.

"I am worried by the lack of preparedness by your delegation. You should have read the AG's (Auditor-General) reports to give proper answers, but you came ill-prepared. You are wasting Parliament's precious time. We have never sent back a delegation, but we need to send you back because there is no value-addition in your answers. We need you to be serious about public funds because we are losing a lot of money, and some of this money can actually pay Parliament salaries for a year," committee chairperson Paurina Mpariwa said.

The committee also noted that the ministry's Amenities Fund was operating without a constitution since 1979.

In response, Gudyanga said a draft constitution of the Amenities Fund had been sent to Treasury in 2011, and was yet to be approved.

The ministry's chief accountant, Noah Munyoro, said the Amenities Fund was financed from students' fees and the money used in refurbishment of facilities and projects.

He said they collected about $20 million per year.

Munyoro admitted that some of the accounts officers seconded to the ministry were incompetent.