On 22 May 2017 Auditor General Ho Duc Phoc presented the audit report of the State Budget settlement for fiscal year 2015 to the National Assembly (NA) at its third session.
Phoc presents the audit report at the NA session
The audit report consolidated 276 audit reports conducted in 2016 at 204 auditees. The State Budget settlement report for fiscal year 2015 prepared by the Government has fully compliled data from the financial statements of 63 provinces and budget estimating units at central level.
The audit report also worked out significant findings. Several shortcomings were found in the management of state budget revenues and expenditures; use of public assets; public debt; state policies and procedures; and efficiency of national important projects and programs such as BOT, BT, ODA, G-bond and national target programs.
The SAV accordingly makes a number of recommendations to the Government and the Prime Minister. Among others, the Government should direct Ministry of Finance, ministries, central agencies, localities and auditees to fully and timely implement the recommendations of the SAV in 2016 for the fiscal year 2015 of VND38,776 billion. The NA Standing Committees should be reported on the unallocated amount of government bond reserve for 2012-2015 of VND792,147 billion and the conversion of investment capital for 05 projects of the Vietnam Highway Corporation of VND18,123 billion. The Government should also direct ministries, central agencies, localities and auditees to deal with issues related to mechanisms and policies, reviewing and handling collective and individual responsibilities for errors and violations mentioned in each audit report in order to cancel or replace, amend or supplement 150 regulatory documents which are not in accordance with the general normative regulations of the State.
As a part of the audit report, the results of the 2015’s audits follow-up show some remarkable achievements. Financial penalty done as of 31/12/2016 is VND15,974 billion, accounting for 75.6%; of which, state budget revenue increase and expenditure decrease is VND10,195 billion, making 82.3%. The implementation of audit recommendations has made positive progress because in 2016 the SAV took many drastic measures to improve the effectiveness of audit recommendation. 29 documents have been canceled, amended or supplemented by the Government, ministries and localities according to the recommendations by the SAV.