Saturday
27th Apr 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Cabinet Meeting with the President and Ministers. | Photo: President’s Office
The financial statements of the President, Vice-President and Cabinet Ministers have now been sent to the Auditor General's Office for publication, the President's Office said.
Undersecretary in the President’s Office, Mohamed Firuzul, told a news conference last November that President Dr. Muizzu's intention is to make the financial statements of senior officials public.
However, some journalists have pointed out that the statements have not been made public two months after President Dr. Muizzu took office.
When asked about the matter, Communications Minister in the President’s Office, Ibrahim Khaleel said the government would disclose the financial statements after sending them to the Auditor General's Office for verification as per the law.
The statements of all government officials have now been sent to the Auditor General's Office and will be made public once the process is completed, he said.
He said the top priority is to disclose authenticated financial statements. That is why the statements are being delayed, he said.
In the last government, the financial statements of the President and ministers were published by the President's Office, but they were prepared by themselves. They were not submitted to the Audit Office to verify their authenticity.
The issue of false information in the financial statements of some officials of the President's Office and Cabinet Ministers surfaced several times during the last government.
In foreign countries, the financial statements of government officials are prepared by audit firms. However, the financial statements published on the President's Office website in Maldives are prepared by the government and can be changed as necessary.
Khaleel said the government's aim is to change that and ensure that the information published in the financial statements of officials is the most accurate information.