By Sukuoluhle Ndlovu
The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) is calling on the continued tracking of Covid -19 funds and made readily available for the civil society and the public.
ZIMCODD is rallying behind the Covid -19 resource tracker they introduced to ensure accountability on all resources. Transparency of Covid -19 resources is the central to the success of the National Covid -19 Response Strategy to curb corruption and resources leakages in Zimbabwe.
Covid -19 resources are bound to corruption.
“Besides the vulnerability to corruption and abuse of the Covid -19 resources, the case for our incessant monitoring of these resources, including the drive behind our Covid -19 resource tracker is to ensure accountability on the resources that have been set aside for the response as well as to understand fully what the government has done towards promises made to citizens towards the response.
“There is need for continued fiscal transparency in the management of public, finances especially Covid -19 funds as the pandemics effects continues to be felt,” ZIMCODD noted.
Minister of Finance is being called to present how Covid -19 resources have been used since May 2020.
“To uphold good governance, transparency and accountability in the management of public finances, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development should, as a matter of urgency present before Parliament how Covid -19 resources have been used since May 2020 to date. This information should be accessible to civil society and the public for independent scrutiny and auditing as a general practice of accountability and transparency.
“Such fiscal transparency will bolster financial and economic stability, foster a well informed debate about the design and results of fiscal policy, and ensure public sector accountability. In doing so, fiscal transparency will also help to strengthen the credibility of a country’s fiscal plans and boosts financial market and citizen’s confidence,” ZIMCODD said in their weekend reader.
The Zimbabwean government is being urged to adhere and dictate the principle of fiscal transparency that are internationally recognized so as to improve the country’s potential to attract investment and grow the economy. There should be provision of relevant information related to the allocation and the use of resources.
