The Ministry of Housing has engaged an officer to oversee engagements with Public Rental Board and the Housing Authority.

Permanent Secretary Manasa Lesuma highlighted this while making submissions to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts on the review of the 2022 Audit Reports on Social Services Sector.

Questions were raised on the issue of missing records which was also identified in the Housing Authority investigation report.

Permanent Secretary for Housing, Mr Manasa Lesuma

Lesuma says while the Housing Authority has its own board responsible for daily operations, the Ministry does have an officer assigned to oversee collaboration between the two entities.

He also stresses that capital funding channeled through the Ministry is monitored for its utilization.

“In terms of finance, our team is only able to really look into what’s been budgeted by government. It comes through the Ministry, any capital funding that goes to these entities, these are actually monitored by the Ministry and it’s only when they provide us the acquittals, then submissions are made for more funding to be submitted to or to be allocated to the two entities.”

Lesuma adds that briefings are provided to the Minister’s office when necessary.