Peace for the World

Peace for the World
First democratic leader of Justice the Godfather of the Sri Lankan Tamil Struggle: Honourable Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

COPA exposes failure of 26 ministries, state institutions

... faults CIABOC, Parliament, Presidential Secretariat, PM’s Office



article_image
* Review of financial management and performance

By Saman Indrajith- 

Findings of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), tabled in Parliament, yesterday, revealed serious lapses on the part of 26 out of 51 ministries which the watchdog committed studied, in respect of financial management and performance. 

The COPA report assessing the financial management and performance of 837 institutions, covering the financial year 2016, was tabled in Parliament by committee’s Chairman Finance and Mass Media Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna. 

According to the report, 26 ministries have failed in updating their registers on fixed assets. There are 40 ministries which have not settled the balance of advance accounts for more than a year; 28 ministries have been noticed for not conducting annual board of survey reports as stipulated.

 The COPA findings show that 29 ministries have failed to respond to the audit inquiries on time while some of them have not disposed of condemned vehicles within the stipulated period.

At least three audit management committee meetings had not been held by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), says the COPA report. No action has been taken as regards the recommendations on excesses and shortages etc revealed by the Board of surveys. 

The COPA report observes that Parliament has not updated Fixed Asset Register.

Fixed Assets Register on computer accessories and software has not been maintained on up to date basis. Inventory Book, Stock inventory and Losses Register were not maintained on an up to date basis. Annual action plan has not been prepared. Replies have not been received to all audit queries raised by the Auditor General within a period of one month. 

The Presidential Secretariat, too, has failed in maintaining the Fixed Asset Register, Fixed Assets Register on computer accessories and software and Losses Register on up-to-date basis. Commitments have been made in excess of the provisions of approved limits. There have been outstanding loan balances on the Advance Account remaining over one year. No action has been taken to clear time expired deposits in the General Deposit Account as per the provisions of Financial Regulation 571. The settlement of Ad hoc Interim Imprest had not been done as per the provisions in Financial Regulation 371.

The report observes that the Prime Minister’s office has made commitments "exceeding the provisions of authorised approved limits."

The committee has examined 19 government special spending units, 51 ministries, 92 government departments, 25 District Secretariats, nine provincial councils, 215 provincial council special spending units and departments, 46 provincial council authorities and statutory institutions, 23 municipal councils, 41 urban councils and 271 Sabhas.