NORTH-WESTERN Province Permanent Secretary Augustine Seyuba is concerned by resistance of some civil servants to account for KR1.7 million (K1.7 billion) in unretired imprest.

Mr Seyuba said the KR1.7 million would have been put to good use in various uncompleted projects in the province, especially in Kabompo and the newly-created Manyinga District.

He said this when he addressed a series of meetings of civil servants and community leaders in Manyinga and Kabompo yesterday.

Mr Seyuba has since directed the provincial accounting control unit to ensure that no Government officer was issued with fresh imprest until the previous one was retired correctly.

He said Government financial regulations stated that imprest should be retired within two days of an officer returning to a station upon completion of the purpose for which the money was drawn.

A recent review of financial accounts for the province indicated that KR1.7 million was unretired, some of it dating as far back as January 2012.

In one instance, an officer accumulated KR55, 000 in unretired imprest and no explanation was given.

Mr Seyuba described the state of affairs as unacceptable, adding that such practices were allowed to go on for a long time because Government systems and regulations had been compromised.

He appealed to community leaders from Kabompo Turn-around Initiative and Kabompo District Stakeholder Committee to become watchdogs and ensure that Government resources were utilised for the intended purposes.