Auditing of ZNBC is expected to take 30 days, Auditor General

Auditor General Anna Chifungula said auditing Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) is expected to take 30 days. Mrs Chifungula said this at the commencement of the auditing of national broadcaster following alleged financial mismanagement at the institution.

“I can assure all the interested parties that the auditing will be thoroughly done,” she said.

She said a detailed report will be compiled and submitted to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting Services, Ronnie Shikapwasha after the work is completed.

A team of six officers from the Office of Auditor General yesterday started auditing ZNBC.

Last week, Lieutenant General Shikapwasha directed the Office of the Auditor General to carry out a financial and performance audit at ZNBC.

And the Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) has welcomed the move by Government to have all the public media institutions audited.

ZUJ president Morgan Chonya said auditing at the Times of Zambia and Zambia Daily Mail will enable transparency in the running of the institutions.

“We are happy with the minister’s move to audit all the public media organisations and his insistence that unionised employees should have improved conditions of service,” Mr Chonya said.

He said there is need for managements of public media organisations to pay their employees living wages. Mr Chonya also called on managements of public media to uphold safety standards for workers.

Government said it will extend the financial and performance audit to all public media organisations after completing with the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC).