News Source Guyana Reports | The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has expressed grave concerns regarding the Auditor General’s 2024 Report, which reveals over $1 billion in financial irregularities and mismanagement within the government.
APNU Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul addressed the findings from the Fiscal Year ending December 31, 2024, describing them as indicative of “financial recklessness, weak oversight, and persistent breaches of accountability laws” across various Ministries, Departments, and Regional Administrations.
The report indicates that $1.011 billion was overpaid to contractors during 2024. Mahipaul explained that the Auditor General evaluated 829 contracts totaling $48.19 billion, uncovering significant cases of mismanagement involving 86 contracts administered by multiple government agencies. Key agencies implicated include the Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister, and various ministries such as Foreign Affairs, Local Government, and Health.
An additional $109.99 million in overpayments was noted across nine Regional Democratic Councils (RDCs). Mahipaul cautioned that these findings were based on sample audits, suggesting that the actual extent of financial misconduct could be far greater.
The report also highlighted a troubling lack of compliance regarding previous recommendations. Out of 179 recommendations made in the 2023 report, only 48 (27%) were fully implemented, while 96 (54%) were partially implemented, leaving 35 (19%) unaddressed.
Mahipaul emphasized that the failure to rectify past issues reflects a disregard for accountability and financial discipline within multiple ministries. He called for comprehensive audits and compliance enhancements across state agencies.
“The APNU Parliamentary Opposition demands deeper forensic audits in all ministries and regions where overpayments and unaccounted funds have been identified. We urge public disclosure of recovery efforts, including the names of engineers and contractors involved in these overpayments, and independent oversight of ministries with repeated audit violations,” he stated.
MP Mahipaul insisted that the government must not treat the Auditor General’s findings as mere bureaucratic concerns, but rather confront the underlying issues of systemic corruption, weak governance, and a lack of accountability.
He concluded by emphasizing the need for decisive action and full transparency in addressing these financial irregularities.
