Minister tables NSSA audit report in Parly

Elita Chikwati  and Zvamaida Murwira
The much-awaited National Social Security Authority (NSSA) forensic audit report was yesterday tabled in Parliament, with Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Sekai Nzenza saying it will be used to “bring the guilty to book” and recover looted funds.

The report — which was commissioned by Auditor-General Mildred Chiri — covered the period from January 2015 to early 2018.

Parliament is now expected to debate the report and make necessary recommendations to Minister Nzenza arising from the report.

Presenting the report in Parliament, Minister Nzenza said it was presented to her and the newly-constituted NSSA board in February 2019.

“Thereafter, the board identified key issues in the forensic audit report and they relate to corporate governance, investment, properties, information communication and technology and human resources.

“In all these key issues that are mentioned, there are some significant irregularities.

“In view of that, as Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and in the spirit of maintaining transparency, I engaged a team of legal experts whose role was to provide counsel.

“The engagement of lawyers was to assist on procurement and due diligence. This process took two months hence the delay in tabling this report,” she said.

In an interview, Minister Nzenza said the report will be used to bring the guilty to book, correct anomalies and create a transparent organisation that is accountable to the public, particularly pensioners and contributors.

She said findings of the report will provide guidance in determining which issues require a legal approach, both civil and criminal.

“The aim will be to recover the funds. They belong to the contributors, and we should be able to recover that. We have the desire to correct what is wrong. Something has not been done right; we have to correct it and this is what President Mnangagwa has entrusted me with.

“I am working with the NSSA board to repair what’s broken and clean-up the mess and do what is right, and in future we become transparent and held accountable. The President is absolutely determined to fight corruption and this is one of the beginnings of something to be done right.”