Public Service Commission Chairperson Dickson Chasaya says government will recover all monies misappropriated from erring officers as cited in the Auditor General’s report through salary deductions.

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

Meanwhile, Chasaya has regretted that some political commentators have taken advantage of findings in the Auditor General’s report to embarrass the government.

According to a statement issued by First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian High Commission in South Africa, Naomi Nyawali, Chasaya said this when he addressed Diplomatic Staff at the Zambia High Commission in Pretoria.

“Mr Chasaya said officers cited in the 2016 Auditor general’s report for misappropriation of funds would be made to pay back the Funds. He said the funds will be recovered through deductions from personal emoluments of erring officers. Mr Chasaya said deductions of emoluments was the workable solution due to legal challenges,” Nyawali stated.

Nyawali stated that Chasaya also disclosed that government would soon revise revise the law to ensure that officers found abusing funds were dealt with in the shortest possible time.

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

“He said government would deal with matters administratively by deducting funds from cited officers to recover such public funds. He also said certain political commentators had taken advantage of the Auditor General’s report to embarrass government.”

Chasaya was in South Africa recently were he was attending a meeting with the Public Service Commission of South Africa organised by that country.