Fisheries Ministry audit incomplete over difficulties to attain documents

Auditor General’s Officer has said that it has been unable to complete a 2009 audit of the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture over difficulties to attain certain documents from the ministry.

This was revealed today in a letter by the Auditor General’s Office to the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament. According to the letter, Fisheries Ministry has told the Auditor General’s Office that the documents in question are filed at Maniyafushi, a marine research island under the ministry in Kaafu Atoll.

Abdulla Naseer, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture denied the Ministry has held documents from auditors, but later said: “We have provided a lot of documents regarding this matter. We are trying to find the lost documents and are handing them over as we find them.”

Auditor General Niyaz Ibrahim has recently stated that some government offices refuse to reveal documents for auditing. He also noted that the Auditor General’s Office does not have the power to take meaningful action against an office for refusal to submit its annual financial statements.

Following the letter by the Auditor General’s Office, the Public Accounts Committee today decided to summon the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, along with the Auditor General’s Office, to a committee hearing soon.