Zambia  Air Force (ZAF) Commander David Muma has urged defence personnel to adhere to the Finance Management Act by using public funds prudently. Lieutenant-General Muma said there is need for the men and women in uniform to acquaint themselves with financial regulations to avoid being in conflict with the law.

Gen Muma said this yesterday when he officiated at a public finance management and procurement orientation workshop for ZAF officers.
“The finance department plays a unique role within ZAF. It is responsible for budgeting analysis, accounting and financial reporting, which are critical ingredients in the management and control of public funds.

“It is for this reason that the chief of finance is required to organise more of such workshops to help other departments in the Air Force to benefit from understanding the importance of prudent public financial management and the implication of not adhering to regulatory requirements,” Gen Muma said.

He said the workshop was organised in response to the enactment of the Public Finance Management Act of 2018, which gives guidance on the use of public finances. “As ZAF, it is imperative that we remain abreast with the finance obligations that Government wishes all its ministries and departments to regulate. The objective, therefore, is to get an independent interpretation of the critical clauses and their implications on our operations,” he said.

Gen Muma is confident the workshop will help to eliminate concerns which were highlighted in the previous Auditor General’s report.
“I am aware that reports from the Auditor General’s office have in the past expressed concerns on a few irregularities in some of the departments. I have no doubt that these are just a few of the issues that our resource persons are here to address,” Gen Muma said.

And ZAF chief of finance Mulenga Kaemba said the workshop was organised after numerous audit queries in the Auditor General’s report, among other things. “We are confident at the end of the workshop, we will help ZAF to get an insight on how to prudently and efficiently manage and control public