MDC-T organizing Secretary mock govt over planned payroll audit

The MDC-T organizing Secretary Abednicho Bhebhe has described the plan by to commission a payrol audit to establish ghost workers currently being talked about as useless considering the fact that sometime ago a similar actions was taken and ghost workers were exposed but nothing was done.

"Government commissioned a similar skills and payroll audit in 2009 which unearthed nearly 75 000 ghost workers gobbling millions (about $17 million according to estimates) in salaries every month," he said.

"The ghost workers, were not expelled, instead they have over the years received increments like other hard working genuine state employees and prejudiced the broke Treasury of billions."

He said Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa says the ongoing audit government will result in job cuts and to reduce the unsustainable wage bill, which gobbles up to 81.5% of state revenues leaving little else for social services and growth stimulating capital projects.

"It boggles the mind why Chinamasa is just not freezing payment of salaries to the 75 000 ghost workers unearthed in the 2009 by the Ernst & Young audit to reduce the wage bill," said Bhebhe.

"If salaries to the known ghost workers are freezed, and another (new) audit undertaken after the illegal workers have been booted out, we might be inspired. Otherwise, this ongoing skills audit does not inspire any confidence at all."

Bhebhe said this new audit is just but a waste of scare resource, since the illegal workers are known, though government has decided to hide the 2009 audit report, just like and other findings exposing corruption and the Gukurahundi massacres.

"This money lost through the payment of ghost workers over the years could easily bankroll the construction of the Dams, among other projects such as the proposed Batoka power project, which would electrify struggling industries while creating jobs," he said.

"Those Zanu PF militias and supporters (over 75 000 of them) deployed into the public service before and after 2009 without Treasury approval have to go. We cannot waste taxpayers' funds to pay spooks and Zanu PF militias and supporters who are rendering any service."

He said President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF ghost workers should go. MDC-T senator Ruth Labode said the end has come.

"ZANU will not have time to deal with the issue at hand. Morgan will have to use the report to regularise the situation," said Labode.

Busani Moyo Tumbale said MDC-T was voted in by the people to work for the people.

"Please respect your employers and fight for the people in Parliament stop the rot," he said.