By Brighton Muronzereyi
STAFF WRITER
THE Zimbabwe government has set up a committee to investigate the operations and dealings of top executives at the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), including the possible illegal awarding of Covid-19 allowances to themselves and other offences.
The committee consists of permanent secretary of Public Service Simon Masanga, chief director in the ministry of Lands G. Chijarira, chief internal auditor in the ministry of Energy N. Shava, chief director Local government E. Ngwarati and director legal advice Attorney General’s office R. Makunike.
In a notice published in the government gazette yesterday, Tourism minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said among the committee’s mandates was to establish the ZTA policy on holiday allowances for its chief executive officer (CEO) and whether there are any reference provisions for acting chief executive officers to get holiday allowances.
“The committee seeks to establish if the CEO benefited from the chief operating officer’s allowance.
“If so, how much, how payments were effected and whether there was board concordance for acting chief executive officers to get holiday allowances at chief executive officer’s level.
“If there is any breach in terms of the corporate governance Act and if so, what are the recommended remedial measures and if there are any loopholes identified in the allowance system and make recommendations to prevent such occurrence in future?,” reads the notice.
The committee is also set to investigate the ZTA board on holiday and groceries allowances.
“It will investigate on groceries allowances paid out during the Covid-19 pandemic, the basis for the provision and whether there was a board resolution to that effect, whether this was provided for in terms of the Corporate Governance Act.
“The committee is going to establish for how long the board received the groceries allowances and the total cost in monetary terms and whether these groceries allowances were given to all staff members at ZTA.
“It is also going to establish the holiday allowance paid out to the board, the basis for that allowance and whether there was a board resolution to that effect and whether this was provided for in terms of the Corporate Governance Act.
“On both issues, the committee may raise other pertinent issues in terms of the corporate governance Act to ensure transparency, fairness and professionalism in this assignment,” the notice reads.
The committee will also work on recommendations on the issues in terms of good corporate governance. – Daily News