State Audit detects misspending of over US$15 billion in 2016-20

During the 2016-21 period, the State Audit of Vietnam (SAV) detected misspending of over VND353.7 trillion (US$15.32 billion), of which VND237.57 trillion (US$10.3 billion), or 73.6% of the total, was recovered for the state budget.

State Auditor General Ho Duc Phoc. Photo: thoibaotaichinh.com.vn

State Auditor General Ho Duc Phoc revealed the figure at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on the performance of state audit in the 2016-21 period on January 12.

“State audit activities have been essential in perfecting legal framework and contributed to the fight against corruption and waste,” stated Mr. Phoc at the meeting, saying it helps ensure greater efficiency in the use of public asets.

According to Mr. Phoc, the SAV also proposed to revise, replace or remove 786 obsolete legal documents, a key task to ensure a healthy environment for the national financial state.

Since 2018, the SAV started the process of digitalizing audit documents, with more than seven million pages of documents being digitalized so far, he noted.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee for Financial and Budgetary Affairs Nguyen Duc Hai said the SAV as an agency established by the National Assembly has been an essential instrument of the state in supervising the management and use of public assets.

Overview of the meeting. Photo: baodientu.chinhphu.vn

Among major issues, Mr. Hai noted the number of documents properly addressed by related agencies and ministries under the recommendation of the SAV remains modest at 136 out of 786.

“Strong measures are required for those that do not adhere to the SAV’s request,” Mr. Hai suggested.

Mr. Hai also pointed to the disclosure of audit report at state agencies should become a common practice.

The Chairman of the Committee for Financial and Budgetary Affairs also urged the necessity to prevent the overlapping in supervision activities between the SAV and other inspection agencies.