The Auditor-General, Finau Nagera, disclosed that the last financial account audited for the i-Taukei Affairs Board was from 2007. This information came to light during her presentation to the Public Accounts Committee, discussing the audit reports for the Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs covering the years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Nagera mentioned that the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) is awaiting the submission of the draft financial statements for 2008 and the following years to proceed with their audits. She indicated that these outstanding reports would be handled by external accounting firms.
The OAG expressed satisfaction with the progress made on the financial reports for the Provincial Councils, noting that these reports are now only a few years behind schedule. Nagera stated their goal to finalize the financial accounts for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 within the current financial year.
She added that the OAG plans to audit a total of 56 draft financial reports, which will be carried out internally rather than outsourced. Furthermore, the completion of the financial report for 2023-2024 is projected for the next financial year (2024-2025), ensuring that all provincial councils are current.
Nagera emphasized that the Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs has a supervisory role, ensuring accountability and timely reporting from the i-Taukei Affairs Board and each provincial council. This accountability is crucial not only to the Ministry but also to the OAG and the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, which ultimately report to Parliament regarding the disbursement of funds.