THE Public Service ministry has requested over $180 million in the 2018 National Budget to enable it to effectively do its mandate.
BY MUNESU NYAKUDYA
The ministry’s secretary Ngoni Masoka told the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Portfolio Committee on Monday that their expenditure ceiling was over $196m.
“It should be noted that the ministry is requesting for an ideal budget of $180 501 528, an amount which would optimum service delivery as per its mandate,” he said.
Masoka said the ministry programmes include policy management, which requires about $158 300 100, public sector human capital development $4 249 950, labour administration $3 551 150 and social welfare $30 205 800. He also said of the amount, a total of $165 147 000 related to employment costs across all programmes, National Social Security Authority (NSSA) contribution and PSMAS employer contribution for the entire service.
Masoka also told parliamentarians that the ministry faced a lot of challenges this year, chief among them was the mismatch between the ideal budget and allocated funds.
“Funds allocated do not match the ideal budget and this has affected the smooth running of programmes,” he said, adding that inadequate funds for the Basic Education Assistance Module and for children in difficult circumstances had resulted in failure to pay all the school fees arrears and monthly grants for children in residential care for 2015, 2016 and partly 2017.
