The Auditor General of Somalia, Ahmed Isse Guutaale, has presented a comprehensive report on financial audits conducted on some government agencies and projects linked to international organizations.
Ahmed Isse Guutaale revealed that the country’s courts have refused to be audited and have not deposited the money they collect into the Somali government treasury. The report stated that 24 government agencies were scheduled to be audited, but only 21 were audited.
Auditor General Ahmed Isse Guutaale noted that 3 institutions, namely the Supreme Court, the Banadir Regional Court and the Banadir Regional Court of Appeal, have openly refused to be audited.
According to Auditor General Guutaale, these institutions are accused of illegally managing a sum of $1,089,998.76, which was taken from civilians without a legal basis for the purpose of collection.
The report also noted that donated vehicles intended for the Somali embassy in Oman were secretly taken by MPs and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This is seriously damaging the reputation of the Somali government, as foreign donations intended for public services have become diverted.
Ahmed Isse Guutaale also revealed that the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has been accused of not properly managing its projects for civilians in Somalia.
Although the agency claims to help vulnerable people, the Auditor General’s investigation has shown that there are no transparent procedures to hold them accountable for the implementation of these projects.
The report also strongly indicated that there are 57 ships and 17 boats fishing illegally in Somali waters, with the Federal Government taking no action so far, posing a serious threat to the country’s natural resources and the economies of coastal communities.
