An additional investigation is set to be conducted regarding the procurement of goods and services linked to the 52nd Asian Development Bank Annual General Meeting held in 2019, amid concerns of potential mismanagement within the Ministry of Civil Services.
In Parliament, Esrom Immanuel, the Chair of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, initiated a motion to discuss the findings of a special investigation report related to the procurement practices for the ADB meeting.
The Ministry of Civil Service was tasked with organizing the international event, which drew in more than 3,000 participants from 76 nations. As the host country, the previous government budgeted $10 million to accommodate the expenses; however, the total costs amounted to $10.9 million, prompting scrutiny over the oversight and management of funds.
The Assistant Minister for Finance noted that the Auditor General’s report, which serves as the foundation for the current investigation, highlights several critical issues, including possible fraud, violations of financial regulations, and conflicts of interest regarding vendor selections.
The report revealed considerable evidence of fraud related to certain payments, as pointed out by Immanuel. He also mentioned that the investigation uncovered delays in awarding major contracts for the event and inefficiencies in handling financial resources.
Immanuel stressed that while ongoing investigations and subsequent enhancements are essential, the report itself was notably delayed. Although completed in December 2020, it was only introduced to Parliament in May 2023.
He underscored the significance of the investigation to effectuate necessary reforms and called for continued scrutiny to avert future mishandling of public finances.
In related news, Speaker Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu invoked Standing Order 20 to refer the issue to the public accounts sub-committee for a deeper investigation, and their findings will soon be awaited.