Tanzania: Ministry sets up a fraud department

Dar es Salaam. The government has established a new department in the Finance and Economic Affairs ministry to check any fraud and abuse of public funds, the minister has said.According to Mr Mustafa Mkulo, extension of tracking department under the Budget Commissioner and internal audit (IA) was designed to trace any misuse in public investments. “We expect that the departments will uphold the Tanzanian public expectation that our nation’s costly investment during economic recovery will not fall victim to abuse and make sure that the public funds are received and spent appropriately,” said Mr Mkulo recently in Dar es Salaam.

He explained that the IA department would prevent, detect and report any fraudulent conduct within the public institutions within a month, three months and six months and will be finally needed to submit the report to the controller auditor general (CAG) in 15 months.

“IA will ensure that the government’s reports on use of funds accurately reflect its financial position (financial audit),” he added.According to Mr Mkulo, increasing emphasis on accountability and improving public sector performance will result on officials to protect themselves, by improved IA procedures, which will provide them with some minimal assurance of meeting external demands and thus avoiding unpleasant audit reports.

He stressed that the government was intending to be keener on public expenditure as it was determined to improve key sectors such as infrastructure, electricity, road and railways, adding that they have set up an annual review commission that will weigh infrastructure achievements.

Mr Mkulo said the current poor state infrastructure especially in some potentially productive agricultural areas was an obstacle to distribution of staple foodstuffs in the country.He said, if the government can make sure that the infrastructure projects set to bring connectivity in the country are accurately implemented, foods will be available in the markets at relatively affordable prices and therefore inflation will be contained.