Govt spooks can’t balance their books…

GOVERNMENT’S spy agency has substantially overspent its budget and recorded more than N$500 000 in outstanding travel allowances.

Although the latest audit report of Auditor General Junias Kandjeke was completed in November 2006 and tabled by Finance Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila in Parliament yesterday, the audit covers an archaic period of a decade ago, namely three financial years from March 1997 until March 1999, when the secret service was run by Peter Tshirumbu-Tsheehama, the present Minster of Safety and Security. The financial statements of the Namibia Central Intelligence Services (NCIS) – not to be confused with the popular US television series with the same acronym – was only submitted to the Auditor General on September 2 2005.”The NCIS experienced problems with the reconciliation and clearance of suspense accounts and this delayed the submission of financial statements,” Kandjeke noted in the audit report.”At the time of writing this report, no financial statements for outstanding years were presented for audit.The Accounting Officer of the NCIS should make more efforts to produce such statements without further delay,” Kandjeke rebuked the spy agency.The NCIS overspent by N$1,62 million or 7,6 per cent during the 1996-97 financial year.The balances shown in the general ledger for the 1998-99 year were “seriously misstated” and needed to be analysed and adjusted.The account for bills payable showed an amount of N$224,8 million, which meant that most cheques issued during that year remained outstanding.Kandjeke noted however, that internal control at the NCIS had improved a bit, but warned that “attention is still needed to bring internal control measures on a sound footing to prevent possible fraud”.He noted in his audit report that during 1996-97 some 41 staff members at the NCIS had not paid back N$74 426,84 in travel allowances advanced to them.During the next financial year, some 36 staff still owed N$39 004,84 for travel allowances.For the 1998-99 financial year, 51 staff at the spy agency had not paid back a staggering N$412 304,57 in travel advances.”The above is an indication that officials do not account for advances as per treasury instructions and it is recommended that the NCIS should make use of existing rules and regulations to curb the problem of long outstanding advances,” Kandjeke said.The financial statements of the Namibia Central Intelligence Services (NCIS) – not to be confused with the popular US television series with the same acronym – was only submitted to the Auditor General on September 2 2005.”The NCIS experienced problems with the reconciliation and clearance of suspense accounts and this delayed the submission of financial statements,” Kandjeke noted in the audit report.”At the time of writing this report, no financial statements for outstanding years were presented for audit.The Accounting Officer of the NCIS should make more efforts to produce such statements without further delay,” Kandjeke rebuked the spy agency.The NCIS overspent by N$1,62 million or 7,6 per cent during the 1996-97 financial year. The balances shown in the general ledger for the 1998-99 year were “seriously misstated” and needed to be analysed and adjusted.The account for bills payable showed an amount of N$224,8 million, which meant that most cheques issued during that year remained outstanding.Kandjeke noted however, that internal control at the NCIS had improved a bit, but warned that “attention is still needed to bring internal control measures on a sound footing to prevent possible fraud”.He noted in his audit report that during 1996-97 some 41 staff members at the NCIS had not paid back N$74 426,84 in travel allowances advanced to them.During the next financial year, some 36 staff still owed N$39 004,84 for travel allowances.For the 1998-99 financial year, 51 staff at the spy agency had not paid back a staggering N$412 304,57 in travel advances.”The above is an indication that officials do not account for advances as per treasury instructions and it is recommended that the NCIS should make use of existing rules and regulations to curb the problem of long outstanding advances,” Kandjeke said.