‘$72M of public funds had not been properly accounted for’

THE Democratic Coalition for Change Government has placed a road map to strengthening public financial management.

This was confirmed by the Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare when moving the motion on the National Anticorruption Strategy (NACS) in Parliament for deliberation before the Committee of the Whole House.

Prime Minister Sogavare said the National Anti-Corruption Strategy wants to augment the roadmap with a sense of urgency in view of both the increased losses of public funds and the ineffective expenditure of public funds.

“It has been reported by the Auditor General and the Internal Auditor of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury that about $72- Million of public funds had not been properly accounted for.

“It is also the case that many public agencies are dragging themselves in implementing recommendations by the Auditor General. These recommendations are meant to help public agencies address their vulnerabilities to corrupt practices,” the Prime Minister said.

He said this problem has to be contained and the National Anti- Corruption Strategy together with the Public Financial Management Roadmap contains numerous measures to curb losses in procurement and financial mismanagement.