PM calls for increasing internal monitoring at Government institutions

AMMAN — It is important to have a clear framework to assess performance and enhance the level of internal monitoring at public departments, Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said on Thursday. 

During a meeting with the team tasked with reviewing violations found in the 2018 Audit Bureau’s report, Razzaz praised the cooperation of all public departments with the bureau and their work towards rectifying violations, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. 

The prime minister listened to a briefing by Minister of State for Prime Ministry Affairs Sami Daoud on the most important violations and issues.

Daoud said that the amount of money expected to be retrieved this year could reach JD110 million. A total of 37 cases were referred to the Jordan Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission (JIACC) for graft suspicions and 48 cases were referred to the attorney general.  

The minister said that the outcome of monitoring this year includes 490 inquiries related to 128 public departments, companies where the government owns more than 50 per cent of shares, 99 municipalities and 23 joint services councils.

Of the total, 220 inquiries have been immediately dealt with, while the other 270 have been dealt with through retrieving public money, referring to the JIACC and through Cabinet decisions, he added. 

Daoud noted that 48 public departments did not receive any inquiries about their services, which is considered an “unprecedented achievement”.

Audit Bureau President Abed Kharabsheh said the bureau’s goal is to serve public departments and limit the loss of public money.