The Parliament of the Maldives has approved a USD6 million budget for Auditor General’s Office (AGO) for 2023 with 44 votes in favour.
AGO proposed a budget of USD6.1 million, but the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts approved a budget of USD6 million after discussions with the Ministry of Finance. The audit office stated that USD4 million of the budget is for the estimated recurrent expenses and USD2 million is for capital expenses. The Parliament passed a budget of USD5.3 million for the AGO in 2021.
The budget for the AGO is required to be passed separately from the state budget. However, it must still be included as part of the state budget. AGO has revealed it will conduct 327 audits next year, and the highest priority will be placed on completing government-related audits within schedule. Additionally, the office will conduct 88 audits on local councils and outsource the rest. Audits scheduled for next year include audits on government guarantees, state-owned enterprises, and four public funds. Audits will also be conducted to determine the benefits that would result from completing ongoing government projects.
AGO stated its top priority in formulating the budget is to maintain public trust by retaining capable employees and conducting thorough audits.