Finance Minister promises end to financial mismanagement

The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Claver Gatete, assured Parliament that the Government was looking at all avenues in order to increase accountability. Gatete said this while appearing before the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) to explain financial irregularities in public entities that were revealed in the 2012/13 Auditor General (AG) report. Mp Juvenal Nkusi, the chairperson of PAC, while presenting a number of cases of financial mismanagement highlighted in the AG’s report said that, “improper accountability of taxpayers’ money hurts the economy of the country. You should find permanent solutions as we strive to reach sustainable development”. “We are coming up with lasting solutions to poor public financial management,” promised Gatete, adding that, “ after ensuring capacity building and proper evaluations in all public entities, I believe that we will reach a desires level of accountability” The 2012/13 AG’s report indicates that Rwf175.8 billion was generated by non-budgeted agencies and not accounted for in the financial statements of districts. The report also shows that over Rwf23 billion was lost in poor contract management procedures. Gatete’s appearing before the PAC marks the last public hearings involving the 2012/2013 AG’s report. The first session commenced on October 7. The proceedings, which are open to the public, are held annually with the heads of public institutions and their accounting officers to explain the irregularities raised by the Auditor General’s annual reports.

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Finance Minister promises end to financial mismanagement