The Royal Audit Authority has reported irregularities amounting to more than Nu 7.5bn between July 2021 and June this year. The office launched its annual audit report for 2021-2022 today.
The irregularities have been divided into three categories which are fraud and corruption, non-compliance with laws, rules, and regulations, and shortfalls, lapses, and deficiencies.
Shortfalls, lapses, and deficiencies accounted for over 72 % of the total irregularities aggregating to almost Nu 5bn. The Regional Revenue and Customs Office in Phuentsholing had the highest amount of irregularities amounting to almost Nu 3bn.
Like-wise the cases of non-compliance with laws, rules, and regulations accounted for 27 % of the total irregularities amounting to slightly over Nu 2b. The Phuentsholing RRCO office had the highest in this category as well at Nu 365 M.
Under the fraud and corruption category, it showed irregularities amounting to just over Nu 26 M. The Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital had the highest amount of irregularities amounting to Nu 8.4 M.
The RAA says they will continue to seek actions from individuals through regular follow-ups.
‘‘We would seek remedial measures from the agencies, and look at what the agencies have done to stop recurrence of similar cases. We would say that normally these kinds of observation not necessarily are the individual’s fault. But it is in fact, the overall ecosystem that is present in the organisation. Firstly it depends on the tone at the top. Normally we try and advocate that the internal control system within the organisation should be very robust and very perceiving, whereby such kind of observation could be stopped,” said the Deputy Auditor General Minjur Dorji.
Meanwhile, as per the report, 121 audit issues from 31 audit reports remain unresolved even after the issuance of court verdicts as of 30th June.
Karma Wangdi
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
