The audit report on the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture has revealed that appropriate measures were not undertaken by the ministry to recover the sum of MVR 51 million owed to the ministry for the lease of properties and resources.
The annual audit report of the ministry, signed by Auditor General Hassan Ziyath, disclosed that MVR 19 million is owed to the ministry as rent for four ice-plants constructed across the Maldives, while MVR 32 million is owed for engines provided under a long-term lease from 1997 till 2001.
The issue was brought to light during the 2016 audit report as well, with the 2017 audit report further disclosing sufficient actions had not been taken to recover the money even until the end of 2017. The report revealed that fine for the pending payment has been accumulating.
The report stated that the ice-plant established at Ihavandhoo, Haa Alif Atoll, managed by Felivaru Fisheries Maldives Ltd had failed to disclose their statistics, by which the ministry has failed to identify how much the plant owes to the state. Although the report urged the ministry to recover the statistics, the statistics have yet to be disclosed.
The Auditor General announced that the state must be paid within no less than a month under the Public Finance Act, and that action will be taken against those that failed to meet the deadlines.
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