Audit Office submits 2017 report to clear backlog

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 22 October 2018, 12:00AM

The Audit Office has submitted the Irregularity and the Audit Report for the Government for the financial year ending June, 2017.

The submission of the report on October 3, 2018 means that the Audit Office is now up to date in all its reports on the Government’s use of public funding up to the last financial year.

The report for the financial year ending June 2016 was submitted on August 17 this year according to a progress report on the Office of the Audit’s website. 

The Samoa Observer has been publishing the findings of the audit and irregularity reports since June this year. Under the law the reports can only made public by the Audit Office after it is tabled by Parliament. 

As advised in the Audit Office’s information paper, inline with the Parliamentary Standing Order 162, audit reports cannot be published publicly until the Constitutional Offices Committee of Parliament compiles its own report based on the findings of the Reports of the Audit Office, which are then presented to Parliament for its deliberation. 

Previously there was a backlog or arrears of accounts, audits and reports to parliament, which were inherited by newly appointed auditor generals since the establishment of the Samoa Audit Office

“The audit laws before the legislative amendments passed by Parliament in 2014 required that the controller and auditor general submit a report to Parliament every year.

“The new audit laws passed in 2014 encourage frequent and more reports to Parliament every year so the controller and auditor general and the Audit Office are now working towards producing reports for Parliament on a six monthly basis by financial year ending 30 June 2020, and on a quarterly basis by financial year ending 30 June 2024.” 

While the Irregularity and the Audit Report for the Samoa Government for financial year ending June, 2017 were submitted to Parliament. Parliament convened on October 5, 2018 but it is understood the audit reports were not tabled. 

During the last Parliament session, amongst reports tabled were 12 annual and four reports by Government ministries and corporations. These included the Samoa Law Reform Commission Report on Pule a le Matai Sa’o and the Final Report 18/17, February 2017. 

The annual reports submitted for the Public Service Commission were for the financial years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 and the annual reports for the financial year 2016-2017;  for the Ministry of Justice Courts; Office of the Regulator; Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa; National University of Samoa; Samoa National Health Services; Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture; Annual Reports of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries; Annual Report of the Samoa Water Authority; Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries; Ministry for Revenue and the Samoa Ports Authority.

By Joyetter Feagaimaali’i-Luamanu 22 October 2018, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

Upgrade to Premium

Subscribe to
Samoa Observer Online

Enjoy unlimited access to all our articles on any device + free trial to e-Edition. You can cancel anytime.

>