Maravi

Misuse of project funds displeases Irish Ambassador

Misuse of project funds displeases Irish Ambassador
Written by Mwala Kalaluka
Thursday, May 28, 2009 2:44:34 PM

IRISH Ambassador Bill Nolan has said he is not happy with the recent draft audit report that highlighted mismanagement of Irish Aid project funds to Luwingu district council.

Ambassador Nolan said in an interview at State House on Monday that he was nevertheless surprised how the Irish Aid-undertaken draft internal audit report on Luwingu council’s books of accounts from October 2008 to January 2009 found itself in the hands of The Post.

“But we have no problem about accountability being there in the public domain. This is a very open debate,” he said. “It is a very healthy thing.”

He was commenting on the recent decision by the Swedish and Dutch/Netherlands governments to freeze aid to the Ministry of Health following heightened corruption concerns in the public sector.

Irish Aid is funding Local Development Programmes (LDPs) in four councils in Northern Province.

According to the internal audit report on Luwingu council, Irish Aid was not happy with the way the project funds were expended and the organisation threatened to halt funding to the local authority, in view of the noted financial irregularities.

Ambassador Nolan said once a draft audit report had been undertaken a copy is submitted to the council or in other cases referred to as the implementing partner.

“I was not happy with the draft audit report,” Ambassador Nolan said.

Ambassador Nolan said in future the relationship of Africa and Europe should be based more on trade and economic development than aid.

Irish Aid has taken issue over the irregular manner in which the Luwingu district tender committee awarded a K87 million tender to drill conventional wells to Luwingu district council.

It also complained over Luwingu district council’s failure to obtain a ‘no objection’ from the funding organisation for purchases above a 10,000 British pounds as required.

The aid agency noted that the manner in which Luwingu council was awarded the conventional wells construction tender was not transparent, as it had not been adequately advertised.

Labels: BILL NOLAN, CORRUPTION, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, THE POST

posted by MrK @ 1:42 PM