Wale urges gov’t to strengthen OAG’s mandate to conduct performance audits

OPPOSITION Leader Hon Matthew Wale says there is an urgent need to build robust capacity within the Auditor General’s office to conduct performance audits.

Hon Wale highlighted this during his response to the Speech from the throne in Parliament.

He said economy and efficiency in public expenditure are important goals.

The Opposition Leader said value for money in government contracting and delivery must be pursued in procurement processes.

“From the various reports by the Auditor General, we know that it is highly likely government contracts are excessive or exaggerated, and outputs and outcomes delivered do not match those stated in the governments various policy documents,” he said.

Hon Wale said these problems tend to be greatest in ministries that handle large amounts of procurements.

He said the procurements system may appear robust on paper, but its practical outworking seems to be an incubator and facilitator of corruption.

Meanwhile, Hon Wale said the recent Auditor General’s Reports would suggest that the priorities tend to be overwhelmed by the devil called detail.

“Detail in procurement and the corruption that seems to have prospered even more over these last few years,” he said.

The Opposition Leader told Parliament that the Auditor General’s Reports paint a bleak picture of negligence and recklessness.

“There seems to be no accountability expected by government on those responsible. Are we supposed to conclude that these problems are not fixable? The defensive explanations we hear from government seem to suggest that nobody is at fault. It explains why no one is held accountable,” Hon Wale said.

ENDS//