Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 1238853,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1238853/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 157,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Teso South, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Emaase",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker, for giving me the opportunity. I rise to support the Report of the Auditor-General. At the outset, my observation is that we are looking at the financial reports for the 2013/2014, 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 financial years. We are in 2023, and from 2013, those are 10 good years. I am the Vice-Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, and I was still its Vice-Chairperson in the 11th Parliament. I remember very well that the Auditor-General appeared before our Committee. The Office of the Auditor-General requested for additional funding citing challenges of underfunding, inability to hire more auditors for them to give us timely reports and many other challenges. I vividly remember that we enhanced the budget of the Controller of Budget and the Office of the Auditor-General. I am, therefore, surprised that we are looking at those reports 10 years later. This delays implementation of the recommendations as well as corrections. We should also look at the report of the Auditor-General after the audit of the Office of the Auditor-General. This House approved the procurement of an independent auditor to audit the Office of the Auditor-General so that we can be told what else is still ailing that office. This House needs to get reports early so that we can act on them in good time. If we are going to get reports 10 years down the line, that is an issue of concern to this House. Secondly, I agree with some of the observations by the Committee, particularly the issue of delayed disbursements to the NG-CDF. Two months are left before the closure of this financial year, but Members have not even received half of the allocation to constituencies. This is an issue of concern. I support the recommendation that the National Treasury gives us a schedule of when disbursements will be made to constituencies so that we get the money on time and implement our programmes and projects in our various constituencies. There is also the issue of fund account managers. I believe that the Board recruits qualified fund account managers. When they say that they are unable to comply with the IPSAS, then that is an issue that needs to be looked into seriously. I support the recommendations by the Committee. When it comes to the issue of presentation of the documents and efficiency in processing and implementing our programmes, there are serious delays as cited. Some of the accountants who are posted by the National Treasury have a lot on their table. They attend to all Government departments within the sub-counties. They probably have too much on their tables. I support the proposal that NG-CDF Board should employ their officers – surveyors, architects and accountants – who will be audited by the Auditor-General. It will enable them The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}