The government is yet to fully implement the Public Financial Management Enhancement Project (PFMEP), which seeks to enhance the efficient and effective utilisation of public resources.
The project aims to improve financial reporting, internal controls, fiscal transparency and accountability of government finances.
Addressing delegates at the Public Finance Management Reform Indaba organised by the Zimbabwe Coalition of Debt Development (ZIMCODD) under the theme, Influencing the legislative and institutional reform agenda for public finance in Zimbabwe, Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry Raj Modi said the government will implement the project by end of this year.
“The government is implementing a ZIMREF project called Public Financial Management Enhancement Project which aims to improve financial reporting, internal controls, fiscal transparency and accountability in government finances in Zimbabwe.
“All ministries now use the re-configured Public Finance Management System (PFMS) and about 40 out of 100 extra-budgetary units have also been configured, with the remaining 60 due to be completed before the end of 2019,” said Modi.
He added that the project will be extended to local authorities.
“The updated PFMS will also be partially extended to local authorities. The PFMS team has designed a portal for local authorities to enable the uploading of their data onto PFMS through an interface.”
Modi said by the end of this year, the project would be rolled out to all districts in the country.
“Each of the districts in the country will have its own kiosk and eight access points,” he said.
“The concept is about to be piloted in six districts and, working with the department of Central Computing Services, it is planned that roll-out to all districts will be complete by the end of 2019.”
Delegates at the indaba, however, requested the government to be transparent in all its spending, without any favour.
“The President’s office does not disclose its funds, yet it is a public institution. It needs to be transparent,” said Bulawayo Central Member of Parliament Nicola Watson-Brown.
ZIMCODD recommended the government to provide for public finance management tracking to ensure regular monitoring of public funds.
