Oye! News from Africa

Finance Minister Questioned By The Public Accounts Committee

Category: Africa Published on Wednesday, 08 August 2012 15:59 Written by Waakhe Simon Wudu

The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Kosti Manibe at the PAC questioning. [Gurtong | Waakhe Simon Wudu]The Auditor General Stephen Wondu presented the report to the August House last month citing a lot of financial irregularities in the ministry.

The Chairman of PAC Kom Kom Geng said they summoned Manibe and other officials based on the 2007 and 2008 government expenditures and money raised from oil and non-oil revenues in which the ministry is a central player.

The committee cited failure by the ministry to comply with Financial Accounting and Procedures Ordinance.

The ministry is accused of failing to keep proper books of accounts and not including receipts of revenues received by government ministries in the financial statements of the government in 2007/8.

In response, Manibe denied some of the accusations in the auditor’s report. He said his Ministry was not approached to avail some of the materials the Auditor General wanted.

The minister attributed some of the irregularities to lack of efficient systems and skilled labour to keep the required professional standards and documents in managing public funds.

However, the minister failed to convince the PAC members on why some institutions exceeded their budgets and why the ministry used some public funds without the approval of the parliament.

The meeting was adjourned after the minister failed to provide some documents to the committee.

 Anti-corruption Commission and Civil Society activists were present during the questioning.

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