Africa-Press – Namibia. The president’s office has failed to fully account for over N$4 million in travel, accommodation, and subsistence expenses, prompting a qualified audit opinion from the auditor general.
This is contained in auditor general Junias Kandjeke’s report for the year ended 31 March 2024.
The Office of the President was allocated N$956.6 million during the 2023/24 financial year.
As a result of the unaccounted for outstanding amounts and statements not corresponding, Kandjeke gave the office a qualified audit opinion, meaning there is either limitation of scope in the auditor’s work, or there is a disagreement with management regarding the application, acceptability or adequacy of accounting policies.
“The audit found that an amount of N$24 227 for the accommodation of certain suppliers on 24 August 2023 was paid on a quotation, and neither an actual invoice was provided for this payment, nor proof of payment,” Kandjeke says.
The audit finds that during a trip undertaken from 14 to 17 September 2023 to Paris, France, a non-government employee’s accommodation and meal expenses were covered by the office’s credit card and were unauthorised.
The report further indicates that a double payment of N$998 288 appears to have been made.
It was also observed that the credit card holder was provided an amount of US$5 000 (N$89 850) during a trip to Russia and spent over N$71 000, leaving an amount of N$17 970 not used.
No proof of deposit was provided for the audit.
An internal memo dated 1 December 2018 shows a request for the withdrawal of cash for foreign currency purchases, in certain instances for gratuity payments, and due to the absence of credit card systems in certain countries.
The report, however, states that N$93 180 was withdrawn from the credit card or used for official missions.
As per the expenditure report, the funds have been used as gratuity for the security and protocol team attached to the president and delegation on the instruction of the private office.
The report mentions a list of names of people who received gratuities, but without their signatures to determine their authenticity and the validity of the payments.
Furthermore, it is observed that the accounting officer approved the withdrawal of funds used for gratuity payments on 10 April 2024, while the trips were undertaken in June, July, August and November 2023.
This state of affairs, Kandjeke says, is due to a lack of a policy/guideline to regulate the use of credit cards.
The audit finds that, contrary to a claim for subsistence and other anticipated expenditure, subsistence and travel advances amounting to N$299 957 remained outstanding.
The report says the claims amount submitted was less than the advances provided, yet no immediate recovery of the differences was made at the time of drafting the report.
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