Basil: Audit necessary

National

NATIONAL Planning and Monitoring Minister Sam Basil has directed his department to conduct an audit of the National Statistical Office’s (NSO) spending of K20 million allocated for the 2020 Census.
Basil’s directive for immediate action was issued to department secretary Koney Samuel, with a letter going to the acting national statistician John Igitoi.
“This audit is necessary to account for the expending of the K20 million appropriated in the 2019 Budget,” Basil said.
Estimates for the total cost of the 2020 national census have set the figure at K200 million, but Prime Minister James Marape has directed that NSO work within K100 million budget all up.
Basil has asked NSO to cooperate with Samuel and his team.
“I am giving two weeks for this audit to be undertaken and the report delivered to my office by September 30,” he said.
“This audit report will be a vital document to support the DNPM and NSO’s case for further funding.”
Basil intends to bring a National Executive Committee information paper by mid next month which will advise on the progress and seek approval for further funding to progress and sustain the 2020 Census efforts until the first quarter of 2020 (March 2020).
The same information will also help ascertain what funding appropriation is required in the 2020 Budget to ensure sufficient and sustained funding for the 2020 Census.