Public Accounts Committee (PAC) wants internal audit units in Ministries strengthened to ensure accountability and prudent utilisation of public funds.
Chairperson Hon. John Mbadi said there was need for Ministries to ensure that internal audit units had adequate staff and fully finance their activities to effectively conduct their audit roles.
“Internal audit units in Ministries should be independent and answerable to the senior most officer so that they are independent devoid of interference in their duties,” said Hon. Mbadi.
The chairperson noted that most of the audit queries that are tabled before the Committee would have been handled at the Ministry level if their internal audit units were independent and effective.
Hon. Mbadi made the remarks during a grilling session for Principal Secretary for Public Works Mr Joel Arumonyang who was appearing before the Committee for the second time this week to respond to audit queries arising from the audited accounts for the Financial Year 2020/2021.
Funyula MP Hon. Wilberforce Oundo Ojiambo noted with concern that internal audit units have not been effective enough in ensuring that ministries were efficient in financial management.
“Why do we have these audit queries yet ministries have internal audit units that are supposed to ensure that ministries are accountable,” posed Hon. Ojiambo.
The Committee once again asked the department to ensure that all stalled projects were completed and operationalized.
This is after the Committee was told Migori county headquarters had stalled after Ksh.500 million had been sunk in it same to Tharaka Nithi headquarters that had consumed Ksh297 million and Nyandarua one that government had used Ksh.117 million.
The Committee also lamented over payment of millions of shillings to contractors as awards by courts after breach of contractual contracts between government and them.
Lugari MP Hon. Nabii Nabwera said contractors were colluding with government officers to fleece the government millions of shillings in deals on contracts awarded to them.
“The department should make sure that all the contracts signed by the contractors or any other clients are implemented to avoid fines originating from breach of contracts,” said Hon. Nabii.
Mr. Arumonyang said the department had challenges with cash flows leading to stalling of projects. He added that he was in support of the proposal to have internal audit units beefed up to be effective in their work.
Source;
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by: PrincesNews