We will recover all unearned salaries after coronavirus - Auditor General

The Auditor General’s Department is planning to exercise its mandate that will lead to the recovery of all unearned salaries of unaccountable public sector employees, immediately after the coronavirus pandemic.

This follows a pay roll audit of all employees of public sector organisations including Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“Though we have the intention to disallow the continuous existence of the employees who could not be accounted for on the payroll, we have delayed exercising this mandate owing to the unusual times in which we are, following the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic in the country. We plan to exercise this mandate and ensure the recovery of all unearned salaries immediately after the spread of the Coronavirus is contained”, it said in its Report on Nationwide Payroll”, it said.

Through special audit reports (which are extracts of this report but with more details on the infractions including details of the affected employees), the Auditor General’s Department recommended that the Chief Directors of the affected MDAs/Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies should ensure the recovery of the unearned salaries.

“We further urged them to exercise stronger oversight in the management of their respective payrolls”, it pointed out.

Furthermore, it said the audit conclusions were based on information provided by the relevant agencies including the Controller and Accountant General, MDAs/MMDAs and the public universities.

This report it said does not absolve any head of a covered entity or individuals from liability if the information provided by them led to wrong conclusion.