… audit of ballooning costs ready - AG

MBABANE – If the words of Auditor General (AG) Timothy Matsebula are anything to go by, then the nation will finally get to know what exactly led to ballooning costs of the ICC FISH.

It was four years ago when government, through the ministry of Finance allocated a budget of E8 million for a forensic investigation into the ballooning costs of the ICC FISH.

However, months went by without a report of the findings been presented and this became a concern, because the costs of the project kept on ballooning.

:ith government having assured that the ICC will be completed soon, the question whether the investigation will ever see the light of the day.

Called for comment on when exactly the report will be ready and made public, the Minister of Finance, Neal Rijkenberg, first reminded this reporter that the AG’s Office was an independent entity even though its funding came from the Finance ministry.

“The AG does not report to the Finance minister on these different elements of forensic audits but to Parliament. So I would advise that you follow up with him.

HANDED REPORT

“All I can state is that the AG has not handed in the report yet,” the minister said.

Interviewed by the Times SUNDAY yesterday, Matsebula mentioned that his office had completed the investigation.

The AG first clarified that it was not a forensic that has been conducted, but merely a comprehensive audit.

He said this was so because most of what was uncovered were issues such as late payments which accrued penalties that contributed mostly to the ballooning costs and not necessarily individuals.

“I can assure you that the findings will form part of the compliance audit report which will be presented soon,” he said.

Meanwhile, the E8 million was also expected to cover forensic investigation into the construction of the Nhlangano-Sicunusa Road.

:hen asked if this part of the investigation would be included in the compliance report the AG responded to the negative.

The 11th Parliament recommended investigations into the costs of the ICC FISH in early 2020 after it transpired that despite getting a hefty budget every year, the project was requiring E1.2 billion loan to take it to completion.