Audit Report: Finance Minister to take corrective actions needed for any issues flagged

Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh will pursue corrective actions needed over issues flagged by Auditor General (AG) Deodat Sharma in his 2022 Audit Report.

This is according to Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo who spoke at a People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) press conference on Thursday.

During that press conference, the Vice President said he noted news reports of issues flagged by the AG in his report. According to him, the government will endeavour to get any unresolved issues sorted.

“I spoke with the Minister of Finance and he assured (me) that he is going to personally take corrective action against any adverse find,” Jagdeo said.

The Audit Report, the Vice President said, is used by the government as a tool to guarantee good financial management.

Later, he explained that the FInance Minister could engage accounting officers on any questionable transactions and if issues persist or cannot be justified, those officers can be sanctioned.

Earlier in December, the News Room reported that the 2022 Audit Report showed that for the first time, millions of dollars in overpayments in eight of the 10 administrative regions were recovered in 2022 without any disputes.

The Audit Office of Guyana examined a total of 466 contracts for the year under review and found overpayments amounting to $52.8 million were made for measured works on 33 contracts administered at the levels of both central government and the regional administrations. There are, however, outstanding amounts in Regions One and 10.