Why do we have private audit companies auditing State Institutions? Kampyongo asks New Dawn Government
Today in Parliament
According to our Republican Constitution The Auditor General’s Report is produced in accordance with Article 250 of the Constitution of Zambia as amended by Act No. 2 of 2016, Public Finance Management Act, No. 1 of 2018 and the Public Audit Act, No. 13 of 1994. Article 212 of the Constitution requires the Auditor General to, not later than nine months after the end of a financial year, submit an audit report to the President and the National Assembly, on the accounts of the Republic audited in respect of the preceding financial year.
Further the Constitution in spells out the AG’s mandate
Article 250 (1) (a) to (d) mandated the Auditor General to:
i. audit the accounts of state organs, state institutions, provincial administration, local authorities and institutions financed from public funds;
ii. audit the accounts that related to the stocks, shares and stores of the Government;
iii. undertake financial and value for money audits, including forensic audits and any
other type of audit, in respect of a project that involved the use of public funds, and
above measures were expected to address most of the queries in the Report of the
iv. ascertain that money appropriated by Parliament or raised by the Government and disbursed:
- had been applied for the purpose for which it
- was appropriated or raised, was expended in conformity with the authority that governed it, and
- was expended economically, efficiently, and effectively.
However, the New Dawn Government has subcontracted privately owned audit companies to audit State Institutions on behalf of the Auditor General’s Office.
Shiwang’andu Member of Parliament Hon. Stephen Kampyongo this morning during the Vice Presidents question and answer asked Vice President Madam W.K Nalumango where will the audit reports from private audit firms go?
In her response the Vice President was unsure but assured the House that she will come back to the House to give a full report on the matter.