Warrap assembly uncovers financial irregularities in counties
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April 3, 2011 (WAU) - The Parliamentary Committee for Local
Authorities Accounts (LAAC) in Warrap state, South Sudan has uncovered
a syndicate between the state ministry of finance and various local
government authorities allegedly involved in a massive embezzlement of
millions of Sudanese Pounds in state funds.
Angelo Deng Magol, a member of Warrap State Legislative Assembly, from
Tonj East County, told the Sudan Tribune on Sunday, in an exclusive
interview in Kuacjok, capital of Warrap, that his committee has been
working on the syndicate and was now ready to release its report on
the scandal within the next few days.
"We have been investigating this network which involves some highly
placed officials in the ministry and some senior personnel in the
counties and payam [district] levels. More details will be revealed in
the report that we have prepared," he said.
Magol said it was during the referendum that he was approached local
officials and chiefs in most of the areas he visited who complained of
financial irregularities in the counties.
"It was during referendum that almost everybody, especially local
officials and chiefs bitterly complained to us about irregularities in
their salaries. We were very much disturbed about reports with
substantial evidence," said Magol.
Magol said his committee was concerned about the competence of the
officers responsible for custody of public funds in most counties and
that his committee was now working with the ministry to verify their
qualifications.
"It is high time the ministry carried out strict verification of the
qualifications of these officials who are tasked to keep millions of
pounds in public funds allocated for various development projects
which are poorly implemented," he stressed.
Magol in an interview with Sudan Tribune, said the team had discovered
that the misuse of funds and improper documentations continued to
thrive in most counties.
He said, the committee has called for the County Commissioner,
Treasurer, Planning Officer, and an Internal Auditor will have 15 per
cent of their May salaries deducted as a first warning.
"And we have instructed them to make sure that within one month their
accounts are corrected accordingly and verified by the State Assembly
before being presented again to our committee," he pointed out.
He said the committee was equally dissatisfied with the accounting of
money allocated to the county for the 2008/2009 fiscal year for
current and development expenditures and has ordered that the records
are made clear and are submitted with a week.
In order to ensure financial accountability, Magol said his committee
will now insist that the government work on the parliamentary reports
that uncover financial misappropriations and impose stricter
disciplinary actions, including imprisonment.
"Another complaint we received was the cutting of salaries of
individual employees by the county authorities. We have enough
evidence. There were also reports and complaints from a number of
people against county authorities; that payam and boma administrators
are sometimes not paid if they fail to bring local court taxes.
“The other report we received was that if an employee is in a certain
grade, say ten or nine, the salary given is often cut into half.
Convincing reasons are not given.
"Officials say cuts are sometimes made in cases where there were
visitors or other requirements such as the maintenance of vehicles.
They were giving unconvincing reasons." explained Magol.
Attempts made by Sudan Tribune on Sunday to reach minister of finance
failed. However, Gai Manyuon, commissioner of Tonj East said he was
still new to the office but had received and had started verifying the
authenticity of reports made by local officials about discrepancies in
salaries.
"I am still new in the office. It is now about one week since I was
appointed. I am still going over the reports after taking over from my
predecessor who decided to resign," said commissioner Manyuon.
Ariec Mayar Ariec, another member of parliament in the state confirmed
reports of financial irregularities taking place in the counties,
especially in Tonj East.
"Reports of financial irregularities are cropping up in any corner in
the six counties of Warrap state. We have had evidences presented in
the parliament by a parliamentary committee tasked to investigate this
particular issue of Tonj East but the commissioner decided to resigned
after the first hearing," said Ariec.
(ST)
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