Arusha — The East African Community (EAC) secretary general Liberat Mfumukeko says he will not backtrack in his drive to cut down costs and putting in place prudent financial management at the regional organisation.

He said the reforms he has instituted since assuming the position slightly over five months ago would also cover all organs of the Community as well as its institutions spread across the region.

“The Community had expanded tremendously within a short spell of time which has necessitated it to review its institutional set-up and work on sustainable financial mechanism,” he stressed.

Mr Mfumukeko reiterated his hard-line stance against extravagant use of funds at EAC when he briefed the Irish ambassador to Tanzania Paul Sherlock on achievements made in the regional integration efforts.

“Achieving the Customs Union and the Common Market and moving towards the Monetary Union within such a short time for the Community was commendable,” he said after receiving credentials from the ambassador who will now be accredited to the EAC.

The no-nonsense EAC boss took over the position on April 25th pledging to turn around the cash-strapped regional body through cutting down unnecessary expenditure in the wake of dwindling support from the development partners and delay by the partner states to remit their budgetary contributions in time.

Source: All Africa

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