The Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) has revealed that the last audited financial account for the i-Taukei Affairs Board dates back to 2007. Auditor-General Finau Nagera disclosed this information during a presentation to the Public Accounts Committee regarding the review of audit reports for the Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs covering 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Nagera stated that the OAG is still awaiting the submission of the 2008 financial statements and those from subsequent years for auditing. She indicated that these pending reports will be outsourced to external accounting firms.
The Auditor-General expressed satisfaction with the progress of financial reporting by provincial councils, noting that they are only a few years behind schedule. Nagera confirmed plans to complete the financial accounts for 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 within the current financial year.
“The OAG intends to audit 56 draft financial reports, which will be handled internally by the OAG rather than being outsourced,” she noted. Additionally, Nagera mentioned that the financial report for 2023-2024 is expected to be finalized in the following financial year (2024-2025), thus bringing all provincial councils up to date.
She emphasized that the Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs serves as the supervisory body for the i-Taukei Affairs Board and provincial councils, ensuring accountability and timely reporting not only to the Ministry but also to the OAG, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and ultimately Parliament, which allocates funds to them.