Audit report reveals political appointee accepted MVR 18,500 for 176 days without attending office

A special audit report of the North-central National Administration Office has revealed that a political appointee had accepted a monthly salary of MVR 18,500 for a period of 176 days without attending office.

The special audit report of the North-central National Administration Office published by the Auditor General's Office yesterday highlighted a number instances where the institution had acted against laws and regulations.

The report noted that in 2011, a political appointee who held the position of province coordinator had not attended office, without properly notifying the office of his absence, for 176 days out of the required 243 days, and that the office had not taken any steps regarding this matter. While the person had attended office for 52 days, the report stated that he spent a small number of hours working, but had received a salary at the rate of MVR 18,500 per month for the 176 day period he had not attended office.

The report however does not identify the person.

In his report, the Auditor General recommended that the money be sought back and deposited to the state finances.

Other discrepancies noted in the Auditor General’s report include the instance where the office had failed to deposit its revenue to the State Consolidate Revenue Fund for a long period of time, when in 2010 and in 2011, a revenue of total MVR 1,752,495 was kept in the office’s account in Bank of Maldives at the bank's branch in Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhuffushi.

In addition, it was noted that the heads of the office were simultaneously provided a living allowance of total MVR 1,083,468 and accommodation by the office. The report also stated that a total MVR 74,774 were not returned to the Finance Ministry, the balance of their budget for the year 2011.

The report noted that the office had not maintained a proper record of the accommodation blocks under their care, and that there were instances which allowed corrupt dealings when hiring security to the office. It also noted that the office had leased the Haa Dhaalu’s main accommodation centre against the proper leasing regulations, and other instances where the purpose of the use of their office speed boat was not clearly recorded.

The National Administration Offices were established during former president Nasheed’s presidency, and were dissolved by the current government on the 13th of February 2013.