An Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member of parliament has asked the government to account for millions of dollars spent on external forensic investigations and explain why officials implicated in financial and governance failures continue to secure positions within public institutions.
The questions were posed by IPC shadow minister of works and transport Nelson Kalangula during a National Assembly session on Thursday.
Kalangula directed the questions to prime minister Elijah Ngurare amid concerns that costly forensic reports commissioned by government ministries, offices, agencies and state-owned enterprises are often shelved, selectively implemented or ignored.
The questions point to a recurring practice in which executives and senior managers implicated in forensic investigations are allowed to resign without facing disciplinary action before later securing strategic appointments at other government entities or public boards.
“Can the prime minister disclose the cumulative amount spent on external forensic investigations over the past 15 financial years across government ministries and SOEs,” Kalangula asked.
Kalangula also asked what measures are being introduced to prevent officials implicated in forensic reports from being reappointed or transferred to other state entities and public boards.
He further wants to know the number of completed forensic reports commissioned by public entities during the past 15 years that identified prima facie evidence of criminal conduct or statutory breaches and were formally referred to the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Namibian Police or the prosecutor general.
Additionally, he wants to know whether the government would ensure that all forensic reports paid for with public funds are tabled in parliament and submitted to the public accounts committee.
Kalangula said this is aimed at strengthening accountability and preventing selective enforcement of findings arising from investigations funded by taxpayers.
