HIGHER and Tertiary Education minister Jonathan Moyo has rapped “overzealous” Treasury officials for unilaterally cutting government salary grants for staff at State universities by 50% before the two ministries had reached an agreement.
By Stephen Chadenga
The decision to slash tertiary institutions grants came into effect at the beginning of August, but was reversed after President Robert Mugabe ordered Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa to do so.
Moyo said the government had initially agreed to cut on salary obligations to State universities by 30% before moving the figure to 50%.
He said when the Finance ministry went on to implement the decision, he approached Mugabe with the issue adding that the President had since reversed the move.
“I had engaged the Minister of Finance (Patrick Chinamasa) over the issue and he said we should put our case in a scientific way,” Moyo told officials at Midlands State University last week, where he had gone for a working visit.
“We managed to put our case before the ministry, but apparently when they received our submissions, the finance people decided to keep quiet, but nevertheless proceeded to implement their decision.”
Moyo said although his ministry and that of Finance had agreed to put the issue on hold, he was surprised when the latter went ahead to effect the 50% cut.
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He accused officials from Chinamasa’s ministry of acting in bad faith.
“They got too carried away and became overzealous. Although the paper trail indicated a 30% reduction, they went on to reduce the grant to State universities by 50%, which in this business is a no, no,” Moyo said.
Moyo said because of that decision, Treasury last Tuesday released 50% grants to higher education institutions, but assured that the Finance ministry was reprogramming to disburse the remaining amount, although he said it would take some time.
In May this year, Moyo’s predecessor Oppah Muchinguri advised vice-chancellors at State universities that they should start focusing on income-generating projects, as the government could not afford to continue financing some of their obligations.
