Auditor General: Lockdown showed need to computerize financial management

Auditor General Hussain Niyazy states the lockdown imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need to computerize and improve the efficiency of the management of finances at state institutions. 

In a ceremony in Fuvahmulah City on Sunday to launch the 2020 annual report of the Auditor General’s Office’s southern regional office, Niyazy said that the lockdown forced the work of the office to an abrupt halt. 

He said that it happened because state institutions did not have the documents needed for audit scanned and stored in electronic devices. 

Niyazy said that state institutions need to improve the efficiency of the management of finances.  

He also spoke of the decision to open the southern regional office. He said that the office has effectively assisted in improving the efficiency of the management of finances by state institutions, resulting in a reduction in previous issues with auditing. 

The ceremony was also attended by Niyazy’s predecessor, Hassan Ziyath, who said that the goal of the Auditor General’s Office now should be to expand performance audits and improve financial management of state institutions. 

Auditor General’s Office opened its southern regional office in 2015. The office is in charge of auditing some 151 state institutions in GA. Atoll, GDh. Atoll, Fuvahmulah City and Addu City.