Ach-F
08-06-2010, 02:47 PM
CAG defends expenditure of 3.2bn/- on BoT bosses’ houses
, 5th August 2010
THE Controller and Auditor General (CAG) on Thursday defended the decision by the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) to build two residential houses for its top officials for 3.2bn/-. The CAG, Mr Ludovick Uttoh, clarified that there was no misappropriation of funds in the construction of the two houses and some sections of the media wrongly reported that the cost was 5.7bn/-. "The market price for the two houses is estimated at 5.7bn/- and that is not the construction cost," Mr Uttouh told a news conference on an audit conducted on the construction of the two houses.
He was briefing the reporters on the report by his office shortly after it was submitted to the Parliamentary Committee for Parastatals Organizations Accounts (POAC). “We want to make it clear that the cost stated in the construction of the two houses is genuine. “The only anomaly was in the procurement procedures where some 35m/- were dubiously spent,” noted the CAG. The CAG said 35m/- which was dubiously spent had to be recovered by the bank. Mr Utouh further said it was wise for the government to build good and durable houses for its top officials in sensitive government institutions like the Central Bank. He said it was more expensive to keep such officials in hotels or rented houses where the bank could be spending 3.2bn/- on rent for just two years. “These two houses will accommodate these officials for more than 100 years.. How much rent would have to be paid during that period? After all, those houses are public property and big assets as well,” he stressed.
The POAC Chairman, Mr Zitto Kabwe, said he was satisfied with findings of the CAG report and insisted there were no misappropriation of funds as reported by some sections of the media. The BoT governor is an important public figure. He or she is entitled to maximum security," he said. Meanwhile, lack of board of directors in many of public institutions has been cited as the cause for the organisations' failure to publish their accounts reports as required by the law. The CAG said some of public institutions have been failing to prepare and submit their financial statements for audits within the required time, citing the example of about ten which completely failed to submit 2008/2009 accounts by February, this year. The CAG was speaking shortly after the opening of the two days stakeholders’ forum on the challenges in the audit of public authorities and other bodies which started in the Dar es Salaam on Thursday.
Opening the Forum, the Chief Secretary, Mr Philemon Luhanjo, said auditors must maintain their crucial role in ensuring financial statements were prepared in accordance with relevant reporting standards. He said the government was satisfied with the performance of the National Audit Office under the CAG, and that it will do whatever possible to enhance its capacity.
Mkaguzi mkuu asiingilie taalama ambazo hazimuhusu, yeye sio kiranja mkuu wa kuweza kusema kwamba matumizi ya vifaa na gharama ya hizo nyumba ni sahihi wakati hana uwezo wowote wa kujua maswala ya ujenzi. Huu ni wizi na yeye baada ya kupewa kitu kidogo anachukulia swala hili kama la kuweza kuweka mahesabu sawa sawa. Hesabu zinaweza kuwa sawa lakini wizi mkubwa umetokea.
Nyumba za gharama hiyo kwa Tanzania zingekuwa na ubora zaidi kuliko huo tuliouona.
Je, nchi zilizoendelea kama USA, UK etc. zinafanyaje katika swala la nyumba kwa wafanyakazi wake wa ngazi za juu?
, 5th August 2010
THE Controller and Auditor General (CAG) on Thursday defended the decision by the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) to build two residential houses for its top officials for 3.2bn/-. The CAG, Mr Ludovick Uttoh, clarified that there was no misappropriation of funds in the construction of the two houses and some sections of the media wrongly reported that the cost was 5.7bn/-. "The market price for the two houses is estimated at 5.7bn/- and that is not the construction cost," Mr Uttouh told a news conference on an audit conducted on the construction of the two houses.
He was briefing the reporters on the report by his office shortly after it was submitted to the Parliamentary Committee for Parastatals Organizations Accounts (POAC). “We want to make it clear that the cost stated in the construction of the two houses is genuine. “The only anomaly was in the procurement procedures where some 35m/- were dubiously spent,” noted the CAG. The CAG said 35m/- which was dubiously spent had to be recovered by the bank. Mr Utouh further said it was wise for the government to build good and durable houses for its top officials in sensitive government institutions like the Central Bank. He said it was more expensive to keep such officials in hotels or rented houses where the bank could be spending 3.2bn/- on rent for just two years. “These two houses will accommodate these officials for more than 100 years.. How much rent would have to be paid during that period? After all, those houses are public property and big assets as well,” he stressed.
The POAC Chairman, Mr Zitto Kabwe, said he was satisfied with findings of the CAG report and insisted there were no misappropriation of funds as reported by some sections of the media. The BoT governor is an important public figure. He or she is entitled to maximum security," he said. Meanwhile, lack of board of directors in many of public institutions has been cited as the cause for the organisations' failure to publish their accounts reports as required by the law. The CAG said some of public institutions have been failing to prepare and submit their financial statements for audits within the required time, citing the example of about ten which completely failed to submit 2008/2009 accounts by February, this year. The CAG was speaking shortly after the opening of the two days stakeholders’ forum on the challenges in the audit of public authorities and other bodies which started in the Dar es Salaam on Thursday.
Opening the Forum, the Chief Secretary, Mr Philemon Luhanjo, said auditors must maintain their crucial role in ensuring financial statements were prepared in accordance with relevant reporting standards. He said the government was satisfied with the performance of the National Audit Office under the CAG, and that it will do whatever possible to enhance its capacity.
Mkaguzi mkuu asiingilie taalama ambazo hazimuhusu, yeye sio kiranja mkuu wa kuweza kusema kwamba matumizi ya vifaa na gharama ya hizo nyumba ni sahihi wakati hana uwezo wowote wa kujua maswala ya ujenzi. Huu ni wizi na yeye baada ya kupewa kitu kidogo anachukulia swala hili kama la kuweza kuweka mahesabu sawa sawa. Hesabu zinaweza kuwa sawa lakini wizi mkubwa umetokea.
Nyumba za gharama hiyo kwa Tanzania zingekuwa na ubora zaidi kuliko huo tuliouona.
Je, nchi zilizoendelea kama USA, UK etc. zinafanyaje katika swala la nyumba kwa wafanyakazi wake wa ngazi za juu?