Officers abuse unused funds

THIS is an observation on a financial instruction of 2017 by the Finance Department to raid millions of kina parked in various trust accounts for ongoing projects of most government agencies that resulted in abuses and squandering of public funds towards closure of accounts from 2017, 2018 and 2019 .
There is a new working culture at play since 2017 with so called department heads and their officers work around the clock to empty all funds before close of accounts.
All false claims and invoices including cash payments are drawn in total breach of public procurements.
If one inspect, the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) records will pick up all those abuses, yet, no-one has been charged to this date.
Due to cash flow constraints, all funds are not front loaded by Treasury and Finance Departments to support the budgeted work plan activities for the year.
Funds have been thinly spread on a monthly warrant to unnecessary activities, while overloading of funds in the last quarter has been subject to abuses and squandering.
If the Finance Department can hold a ledger in a trust account for ongoing activities of all the Government agencies, it would reduce such squandering in 2020 where unused funds for ongoing projects can be parked.
I hope the Government take note of this wastage in the financial system.
Prosecute those who abuse funds.

Lavender Gib,
Observer NCD