Malawi government to audit civil service staff

Malawi government has started updating employment records of  all civil servants in a comprehensive job evaluation to  assess every employee’s suitability for positions they hold  to end cronyism and political hand-clapping as a qualification for civil service.

The Department of Human Resources Management and Development has since asked all government ministries, department and agencies (MDAs0 to submit updated employment records and staff returns to update the database.

According to a letter dated July 16 addressed to all controlling officers, heads of departments an district commissioners (DCs), Secretary for Human Resources Management and Development Hilary Chimota demand that the MDAs should submit General Purpose (GP) 1 forms, letters of employment on probation, offer letters in absence of letters of appointment on probation, copies of confirmation letters and copies of promotion letters by August 7.

“The Department of Human Resources Management and Development (DHRMD) is in the process for updating its records for its staff in the human resources management and secretarial common services.

“In view of the above, I write to request that all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) should prepare an updated staff return for all staff in the human resources and secretarial common services attached hereto.”

The letter further asks the MDAs to submit copies of officers educational qualifications, copes of letter  of transfers between posts if any and copies of letters of connection of service where applicable.

Vice-President Saulos Chilima, who is also Minister of Economic Planning and Development and Public Sector Reforms, during a meeting with parastatal heads a fortnight ago asked performance reports that will feed into the planning process of the 2020/21 National Budget, after which his office will look at the country’s long-term development plan.

Donors, including the IMF say the civil service is bloated with a more than life league of principal secretaries most of them appointed on political grounds.

The National Audit Office embarked on headcount and payroll audits for all civil servants, in what is arguably one of the massive exercises under the Public Service Reforms.

It was revealed that ghost workers were inflating government’s wage bill.