COPE Report highlights massive losses to Government
Posted on September 27th, 2016

It is a shocking state of affairs to read about the recent report of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), which has criticised the Agriculture Ministry for renting a private building for Rs. 958,000,000 without following proper procedures. The duty of the Committee is to report to Parliament on accounts examined, budgets and estimates, financial procedures, performance and management of Corporations and other Government Business Undertakings.

The accounts of these organizations are audited by the Auditor-General and form the basis of the investigations of the Committee. It has the power to summon the relevant officials, and such other people as it thinks fit, to obtain evidence and call for documents. The Committee reports to the Parliament and the recommendations contained in their reports are deemed to be directives to the respective Corporations or Statutory Boards for due compliance.

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This latest report lists numerous examples of alleged corruption and abuse of government finances. The loss to the government, and therefore the country, runs into billions. The Report on such examples of mismanagement and alleged fraud will simply be added to the files from previous years, and soon forgotten. The Report in full should be available for anyone to read and each of the instances mentioned subjected to a full investigation. Are there any examples where action by COPE has led to criminal charges and recovery of the huge losses?

Watchdog

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