Funds stolen in ‘advances’

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday 6th June 2013

 GOVERNMENT funds appear to be siphoned off to public servants using the system known as advances.

Much of this abuse occurs through the payment of travel allowances judging from what the Auditor-General has reported into one department’s advances management for the years 2009 and 2010.

The auditor-general reported to Parliament that audit review on advances for the Department of Agriculture and Livestock for those years revealed a number of issues.

The department paid out 730 advances totalling K1.82 million in 2009 but all these advances were not recorded and not acquitted.

 by advance holders.

Out of the total advances, 445 were paid out totalling K872,997 in 2009 but none were acquitted. There were 57 salary advances totalling K141,663 paid to officers but these were also never acquitted. In addition the auditor-general noted that 75 officers were paid two or more advances totalling K1,094,236 while their first advances were still outstanding.

In 2010, the department issued 280 advances totalling K515,720 but at time of audit in June 2011 ninety six or 269 advances were not acquitted. This made it impossible to ascertain the propriety of the acquittals made.

Fifty three officers with outstanding advances were issued additional advances totalling K417,905, the auditor-general reported.

The auditor-general concluded to Parliament that this important department which responsibility was to promote agriculture development among others was having significant problems with account keeping which would impact its ability to deliver.