Mozambique: Defunct Ministry of Youth and Sports spends millions on travel and publications – A Verdade

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Mozambique: Defunct Ministry of Youth and Sports spends millions on travel and publications – A Verdade

1:04 CAT | 25 Feb 2020

File photo: Lusa

It took the Mozambican Presidency almost a month to define the duties and powers of the Secretary of State for Youth and Employment and the Secretary of State for Sports. But, strangely, the defunct Ministry of Youth and Sports continues to spend millions on travel and publications.

More than a month after being sworn in for a second term and almost 30 days after abolishing the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Head of State finally defined the duties and powers of the State Secretariat for Youth and Employment.

Created by Presidential Decree 2/2020, of 30 January, this central body of the state apparatus “is responsible for the definition, implementation of policies, strategies, economic and social programs adopted by the State, ensuring the direction, coordination, planning and control of government action in the fields of Youth and Employment,” reads a statement from the Presidency of the Republic received by @Verdade on Monday (24-02), but which has yet to be published in the Government Gazette [Boletim da República] to enter into force.

The Secretariat of State for Youth and Employment is expected to operate under the direct supervision of Filipe Nyusi, and already has US$75 million, lent by the World Bank on favourable conditions, in guaranteed funding.

President Nyusi has not yet defined the duties and powers of the Secretary of State for Sports, and in the meantime the defunct Ministry of Youth and Sports continues to incur expenses of doubtful justification, such as the purchase of air and land travel tickets worth 3.3 million meticais, or the alleged payment of 1.5 million meticais to the National Press [Imprensa Nacional] for the supply of Government Gazettes [Boletins da República].