ACC Resignations!

Daily Revelation Editor

In our Wednesday edition, we carried a lead story where over 16 Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officers have resigned from the organisation in the last one month, while the head of investigations and his assistant, Raymond Chiboola and Friday Tembo respectively, have been placed on forced leave pending expiration of their contracts.

ACC director general Daphne Chabu confirmed the massive resignations, saying the number is even more than the 16 that was mentioned to her.

Asked why there was such a high turnover, Chabu responded: “Greener pastures kabili. We are losing a lot of people to ZRA (Zambia Revenue Authority). Look, it’s career progression. I mean you, you go to school to progress your career isn’t it? So we can’t hold them against their will. They are going to places where they pay more money than we do,” said Chabu.

Almost every person would want to work in an organisation where they are well remunerated, and we can’t hold it against the ACC officials leaving for greener pastures as Chabu has stated. After all, they are also human beings, and if they feel they should work in a place where their services will be well remunerated, why not?

However, the fact that there is this massive exodus from a key investigative institution such as the ACC should worry those in government and the nation at large. One of the key issues why there has been such a mass exodus is over the issue of remuneration. Clearly, the ACC cannot be expected to effectively fight corruption in this country with a workforce that is not properly remunerated.

This is the more reason why several officials that have passed through the commission have found themselves in compromising positions where they have received bribes against investigating some of the people they are supposed to be investigating. Yes, character and patriotism are paramount, or are supposed to be paramount – especially with those charged with the responsibility of working for such key state institutions. However, there are very few who will live up to such noble virtues, when enticed with money.

To make the fight against corruption effective, the government will need to take the happenings at the ACC seriously, in terms of finding solutions to adequately fund the institution and remunerations for the officers working there. This is especially under this administration where the President is ever proclaiming that he is fighting corruption. Therefore, let him allocate adequate resources to where it matters. Fighting corruption should not merely be about singing it about it, but doing something tangible to fight the vice.

It is therefore worrying to hear that State House is not even aware about the massive resignations at a key institution.

State House chief communication specialist Clayson Hamasaka when contacted to comment about the matter, indicated that State House was not aware about the same. Quite surprising, especially for a person holding his position who is supposed to be well vested with important news trends. He is supposed to be aware about such matters in order to properly advise the President. And the matter in question is one which has even been confirmed by the President Hakainde Hichilema appointed director general at the commission, Chabu.