15 April 2008
Maputo — The Mozambican government has spent 17 million USD for the implementation of activities embodied in the Public Sector Reform in 2007.
The main elements of the reform include restructuring of ministries and public institutions, developing more effective public institutions, implementation of a pay reform, increased competency development of civil servants, increased decentralisation, and providing better services to the general public and the private sector.
Briefing reporters in Maputo this Tuesday, the Director of the Technical Unit for Public Sector Reform (UTRESP), Gabriel Machado, said that for the current year Mozambican government plans to spend an additional 14 million dollars, a sum that is expected to be provided by a number of international partners, including the World Bank.
According to Machado, the Public Sector Reform saw a number of achievements in 2007, particularly in the provision of services, strengthening the capabilities of the local authorities focused at district level, as well as the professionalisation of the Public Sector and systems of good governance and in the fight against corruption.
Under the theme "Civil Servants to Better serve the Citizens" the reform, in 2007, also brought an increase in the Fund for Local Development allocated by the government for rural development (which envisages to boost food production and other income generating activities) to ten million meticais (there are about 24.5 meticais for one USD) up from the previous seven million meticais.
The money allocated to each individual district varies according to its area and population. The government also decided to grant to each individual district an additional sum of 2.4 million meticais for infrastructure development.
In most of the existing 128 districts across the country, the government found that many had been using part of the funds for local development to cover for expenses related with infrastructure maintenance and upgrading, and this forced the authorities to grant this extra fund.
Other decisions taken in 2007 include the adoption of a new wage policy, which is expected to come into force in the first quarter of 2009.
As for good governance and the fight against corruption, 2.415 disciplinary proceedings were initiated, of which 38 at the level of management. Of this number 813 were expelled, 247 demoted and 380 fined.
Also in 2007, the government completed budget execution through the State Financial Administration System (SISTAFE), in all ministries, provincial capitals and eight bodies at central level.
Currently, there is under way the implementation of the pilot phase of the Treasury Single Account (CUT),
Gabriel Machado believes that the "the targets set for 2007 have been achieved and, therefore, the outcome is positive. "
Dissemination of the results already achieved and bringing the citizens closer to the "Public Sector Reform" are some of the challenges faced by the government during the current year.
The second phase of the reform, started in 2006, is expected to be completed by 2011.
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