Only three provinces attained Unqualified Audit Opinion status since 1978

Since 1978, only three provinces have attained an Unqualified Audit Opinion status from the Office of the Auditor General in terms of their financial performance.

They are Choiseul, Western and Isabel provinces.

Under Secretary of the Ministry of Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening, Eric George said the provinces have performed well since the Provincial Capacity Development Fund programme was introduced.

“For instance, for Choiseul when I did the performance annual assessment through the PCDF to address the conditions to which they must comply to improve project implementation to guarantee accessibility to

the funds, they have that qualified audit opinion in 2012-13, 2013-14 and again in 2015-16 so that is for Choiseul.”

Currently acting as Supervising Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr George said Western and Isabel provinces have also attained the same status.

“Western province attained the qualified audit opinion from the Office of the Auditor General in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 and also followed by Isabel Province in 2014-15 and 2015-16 so this is a result of

capacity building in public expenditure management by the Ministry of Provincial Government and its provincial governance strengthening programme and that’s what I want to highlight as a result of the capacity

building through this PGSP.”

SIBC understands, provincial governments are now practicing sound financial management after the Provincial Governance Strengthening Programme, PGSP, was introduced.

By: Rickson Bau