Financial aid provided for 4 projects unknown to Treasury : COPA

The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has found that foreign direct financial aid has been spent on four projects without informing the External Resources Department of the General Treasury.

The revelation came as officials of the Ministry of Environment were summoned to COPA to examine the Auditor General's report for the financial years 2017, 2018 and 2019 and their current performance.

A COPA meeting was held in the Parliamentary Complex yesterday (19) under the chairmanship of MP Prof. Tissa Vitarana.

It was revealed that three projects worth US $ 9.96 million and one project worth Euro 1.86 million were being implemented with direct financial assistance.

However, the Department of External Resources had not been notified.

Thus, the COPA Committee instructed the officials to inform the Treasury when receiving and spending such assistance in the future.

In the meantime, COPA Committee emphasized that minimal attention was given towards issues regarding the pollution caused by the mixing of chemical and hazardous wastes by government hospitals.

In response to this, officials present at the meeting stated that a systematic program has been initiated in this regard.

Moreover, discussions were also held on how systematic electronic waste management should be carried out, as well as regarding the compensation payments on land acquired by the government for the development of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Project, and the current status of the Surakimu Ganga National Environmental Program.