The Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Larry Mavima has expressed concern over local authorities that are filling positions with unqualified personnel.
The Minister is currently visiting the thirteen local authorities in Midlands province to assess their progress on service delivery, especially programmes that are funded through intergovernmental fiscal transfers.
He said many of the councils are facing various corporate governance practices that include having employees that are unqualified for the posts they are holding, adding that in one local authority, an environmental health technician currently holds the post of acting town secretary.
“There are several corporate governance issues that are coming to light, some basically relating to the lack of qualified human resources that should be doing certain jobs. In one local authority, you have an environmental health technician as the acting town secretary,” he told 98.4FM News.
Minister Mavima added: “That is unacceptable because that kind of a person does not have an idea of managing and how a local authority should run.”
He said a commission of inquiry has been constituted to look into the affairs of local authorities.
“These are things that we have been addressing. Funds are not being used appropriately and on time. A commission of inquiry has been set up to deal with these local authorities so that they toe the line and clearly understand what their mandate is,” said Minister Mavima.
He said his office is working to ensure that there are good corporate governance practices in local authorities.