DCC lacks internal audit

. PHOTO: Syed Zakir Hossain

Due to lack of internal audit in Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), its financial accounts remain unchecked that creates scopes for corruption, sources in the Nagar Bhaban said.

The government's external audit has found around 2,000 objections in different projects of DCC during the last five years, none of which is resolved yet.

Sources said the objections made by external auditors involve more than Tk 100 crore that include inflated project costs and other irregularities. Most of the audit objections were made against the projects of the engineering and health departments of DCC.

When asked, Chief Executive Officer of DCC Saifuddin Ahmed said they have taken initiative recently to start internal audit in the corporation.

"We have external audit at regular basis. Internal audit is necessary for ensuring accountability and transparency of the corporation," he added.

DCC will discuss the issue of internal auditing at a meeting on April 19, sources said.

"A section of dishonest officials take the advantage of lack of internal audit to make money," an official said asking not to be named.

The DCC authorities however asked the senior officials of its different divisions to clarify their position about the objections raised by external audit.

It is alleged that neither the DCC nor the LGRD ministry has yet taken any action against the corrupt officials who did not clarify the objections.

"The corrupt officials remain beyond the reach of law as they bribe their higher officials," a senior official of audit division alleged.

These objections can be resolved through tripartite meeting of the audit department, LGRD ministry and DCC, another official said.

He said it is difficult to identify anomalies without internal audit as the external audit can only identify the macro-level irregularities.

When asked, Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka expressed his surprise to know that DCC lacks internal audit but he said he will look into the matter seriously.