Staff Writer
An audit for the 2019/2020 financial year carried out by the Auditor-General of the health ministry found that a staff member who resigned on 13 August 2020 processed 76 transactions to the value of N$ 1 565 487.25 between 17 August-21 September 2020.
The audit report also established that although the accounting officer reported that the ministry had 1 888 vehicles as of 31 March 2021, the master ‘list of all the cars owned by the ministry indicated 1 647.
According to the audit report, this has resulted in an unexplained difference of 241 vehicles.
According to the report, the accounting officer has been reporting inaccurate information on vehicles on hand for the past five years concerning the total number of cars owned by the ministry.
“The accounting officer reported that during the financial year under review, the ministry wrote off 28 vehicles to the value of N$2 104 400, with the necessary Treasury approvals.
The ministry also reported 73 vehicle accidents that cost an estimated N$1 693 917.57 in repairs during the financial year under review.
In addition, there were 39 vehicles repaired during the financial year at a total cost of$ 1 497 434.
The report said the health ministry overspent with an amount of N$366 546 308.38, which was unauthorised in terms of Section 6 (a) (i) of the State Finance Act, 1991.
“Although Treasury approval was obtained to utilise certain expected savings for the defrayal of expenditure through virements during the year, thirty (30) sub-divisions were exceeded with a total amount ofN$452 786 609.59, which is unauthorised in terms of Section 6 (a) (iii) of the Act,” the audit report said.
The Auditor-General recommended that the Accounting Officer closely monitor and review the financial position of the ministry continuously to enable better financial control and take appropriate action timeously to avoid unauthorised expenditure.
