Government says officers cited in the 2016 auditor general report for misappropriation of funds would be made to pay back the funds.

Public service commission chairperson Mr. Dickson Chasaya says the funds will be recovered through deductions from personal emoluments of erring officers.

Mr. Chasaya says deductions of emoluments were the workable solution due to legal challenges.

He has disclosed that government was keen to amend the law and regulations to ensure that culprits were made to pay back and were also immediately prosecuted.

He says public officers cited in the auditor’s general’s report for misappropriation of public funds will be made to pay back.

Mr. Chasaya however said the majority of cases highlighted in the report were as a result of negligence and procedural impropriety and were not cases of theft as was perceived.

He says government would deal with matters administratively by deducting funds from cited officers to recover such public funds.

Mr. Chasaya says certain political commentators have taken advantage of the auditor general’s report to embarrass government.

Mr. Chasaya said this when he addressed diplomatic staff at the zambia high commission in pretoria.

Mr. Chasaya was in south africa were he was attending a meeting with the public service commission of south africa organized by that country.

This is contained in a statement made available by zambia high commission pretoria south africa first secretary press and public relation naomi nyawali.