Former CAG Prof Assad says 60 per cent of civil servants lack competence

CAG, Prof Mussa Assad. Photo |File

By The Citizen Reporter

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Dar es Salaam. Former Controller and Auditor General, Prof Mussa Assad has said there is a need to

reboot the public service saying 60 per cent of the current crop lacks the necessary competence to serve as civil servants.

Professor Assad made the remarks today, April 20, 2021 during the launch of a series of public debates organized by the Morogoro Muslim University (MUM).

"Most public servants  are not good enough or do not meet the required threshold, my only problem is when you get to the point where you see someone doing wrong and you can't say it is wrong,  then you are in the wrong place," said Prof Assad.

He added: You don't have to criticize him openly, but at least write to him that sir I saw you did , but I think basically that was not right; Let's fix my opinion here and there, if he gets an opinion from one person he will get angry, if he gets that opinion from 10 people in his cabinet he must listen .

He said the problem is that people have become cowards; it has reached a point where some people just keep silent even when there is plenty going wrong.

"That's why I say let's start afresh with the few who are doing well, that will also a lesson for those who 'in the future' will be carefree, they know that their remedy is to set them aside and start anew," he said.

He made references of certain government decisions which were reached in the past such as selling of government houses in Masaki and the Railway quarters in Gerezani, only for the same government to come back and buy what it sold at Sh6 million at over Sh200 million.

Regarding the Bagamoyo Port project, Professor Assad said there is a need for the Government to provide documentation for the project to make it public so that citizens can read it, look at its pros and cons and comment on whether it is good or bad.

"I cannot say whether the project is good or bad because I have not seen the documents but if the government provides information, we will comment and I am good in that area of ​​ analysis," said Professor Assad.