The Ministry of Finance says it has this week released K2.625 million to pay salaries and other obligations at the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC).

And the Ministry of Finance says allegations that there are maneuvers within government aimed at stifling the operations of the FIC are non-existent.

In a statement issued yesterday, Finance Ministry Head of Public Relations Chileshe Kandeta, said government was enhancing the performance of fiscal and monetary governance at FIC to ensure that the institution continued to produce quality performance for the well-being of the country’s financial and public sectors.

“In the 2017 budget, Parliament approved a total estimate of K30 million for the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), a grant-aided-institution under the Ministry of Finance, of which 96 per cent was released by end of December, 2017. In the 2018 budget, Parliament approved a total estimate of K31.5 million for the Financial Intelligence Center. This week, the treasury has released K2.625 million to the Centre,” Kandeta stated.

The Ministry of Finance, through various reforms, has taken the lead in ensuring that the government policy of enhancing the performance of fiscal and monetary governance institutions is effectively implemented so that these organisations, FIC included, continue to produce high quality performance for the well-being of the country’s financial and public sectors. This approach not only helps to position our governance efforts in good standing with our bilateral and multilateral partners in the region and the international community, it also reaffirms our consciousness to the expectations of our people. The 96 per cent funding release to FIC in 2017 certainly reflects the commitment of the government to ensure smooth operations of the organisation.”

He said the Ministry was committed to ensuring smooth operation at the FIC, which was a creation of government.

“The government has clear communication processes and procedures for line Ministries, Provinces, and Other Spending Agencies such as FIC. In this regard, the public should be rest assured that the insinuated manoeuvres allegedly aimed at stifling the operations of the FIC, as some sections of society may want the populace to believe, are non-existent,” stated Kandeta.

“There is a functional board in place at FIC that deals with policy and operational direction of the organisation. Through the board, the Centre management submits regular statutory reports on the operations and programmes of the FIC to the government through the Ministry of Finance.”