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Recover money paid to ghost workers- bishop
2006-04-17 09:31:29
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
Zanzibar government officials implicated in the payment of millions of shillings to ghost workers must repay the money, a Catholic bishop appealed yesterday.
Bishop Augustine Shao of the Zanzibar Diocese said, in his Easter message, the government should act and make sure that public money was not lost.
’’The officials have to face justice,’’ said Bishop Shao at Minara Miwili Catholic Church.
He said it was disheartening to learn that while the government was struggling to invest in community based projects education, health and infrastructure some few officials were stealing public money.
’’We, religious leaders should hold these officials accountable. They should return the money and face other legal actions in accordance with the country’s laws,’’ the bishop said.
Recently, the government suspended 22 officials suspected to be involved in the payment of salaries to 1,400 ghost workers, in which it had been losing a staggering 1bn/- monthly.
Last week, Deputy Director of Public Prosecution in Zanzibar, Othman Masoud said nobody had been arrested so far in connection with the scam.
Bishop Shao said government’s failure to take action against the few officials would fan crimes on the Isles.
He lashed out at rampant corruption in public institutions and departments and ’bad’ investment policies which gave foreign investors huge profits at the expense of Tanzanians.
’’We cannot shun from globalisation, but both parties must benefit,’’ he insisted.
He also criticised the rising prices of consumer goods in Zanzibar saying they defied the law of the land and religious principles and teachings.
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