Latest news with #Public Accounts Committee
Zawya
7 days ago
- Health
- Zawya
Jinja Hospital officials grilled over Shs1.2 billion payment of water bill
Officials from Jinja Regional Referral Hospital have been tasked to explain circumstances under which they paid Shs1.2 billion to clear water arrears despite being allocated only Shs68 million. The hospital officials led by the Director, Dr. Alfred Yayi appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) chaired by the Vice Chairperson, Hon. Gorreth Namugga on Tuesday, 22 July 2025 to respond to queries in the Auditor General's report for the financial year 2023/2024. The legislators were concerned that clearing of the water bill with an amount more than had been allocated amounted to diversion or mischarge of funds. The committee members wondered if the hospital administration had sought authorization from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. 'We actually applaud your creativity in trying to save lives in Jinja City and beyond but we need transparency. Where exactly did you get the money? Which budget votes did you cut? If you used funds from the private wing, say so', Namugga said. According to the Auditor General's report, the hospital has accumulated water arrears of over Shs3.7 billion in a 10-year period. MPs questioned why the hospital had failed to prioritise settling such a substantial domestic arrear. 'So National Water and Sewerage Corporation is that lenient that you have been consuming water for over 10 years without payment? How did you manage that?' Namugga wondered. MPs were also dismayed with the continued under budgeting for utilities by the hospital administrators. 'It seems you are the ones creating these financial problems. You cannot expect government to give you more money when you are under-budgeting. If you need Shs90 million and only budget for Shs30 million, where do you expect the shortfall to come from?' asked Hon. David Karubanga (NRM, Kigorobya County). UPDF Representative, Hon. Victor Nekesa questioned how such a persistent issue continues unresolved even though the hospital submits its budget. Dr. Alfred Yayi requested for more time to provide a comprehensive explanation regarding the source of funds used to clear part of the water arrears after his initial explanation citing a USAID-funded project, was dismissed as insufficient. 'We have not fully addressed the specific issue raised. We request a few hours and will respond by the end of the day,' Dr. Yayi said. He added that while the hospital receives funds from government, it also benefits from a USAID initiative called G2G which reimburses funds upon meeting certain milestones. According to Dr. Yayi, these reimbursements can be used for hospital priorities. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
System of regulating water firms needs complete overhaul, MPs warn
The system of regulating water companies needs 'a complete overhaul' as the sector hikes customer bills to expand failing infrastructure and tackle pollution, MPs have said. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said the Government must act with urgency to strengthen oversight of the sector to rebuild trust and ensure its poor performance improves. In a report released on Tuesday, the committee highlighted how bills are expected to rise at their fastest rate in 20 years while customer trust in the sector is at an all-time low. Years of underinvestment, a growing population and extreme weather caused by climate change have led to intense pressure on England's ageing water system, causing widespread flooding, supply issues, sewage pollution and leakages. Last year 10 companies were unable to generate enough income to cover their interest payments at a time when the sector must invest in environmental measures, cut leaks and build new reservoirs in the coming years to avoid a shortfall of five billion litres by 2050. 'The environmental performance of companies is woeful,' the report said. 'Ofwat and the EA (Environment Agency) have failed to secure industry compliance.' The PAC said reforms to the system of regulation carried out by the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) are needed 'to address the fragmentation of accountability and failure to enforce current environmental standards'. 'There are gaps in critical areas such as oversight of the wastewater network and understanding of the condition of assets,' the report read. 'No-one is taking ultimate responsibility for balancing affordability with long-term needs.' The PAC's inquiry found that 20% of people are struggling to afford their water bills while companies are implementing huge bill increases without explaining why, or how the money will be spent. In response, the group of MPs recommended Ofwat sets clear expectations for companies to explain where customer money is being spent, why bills are rising and what improvements customers can expect for their money, in the next six months. The report also warned that company plans to spend around £12 billion in the next five years to update the antiquated sewage system will only fix around 44% of sewage overflows. And while the Environment Department (Defra) created a £11 million fund for rolling out environmental improvements from water company fines in 2024, the money has not yet been distributed, with the PAC urging the Government to do so by the end of the year. Elsewhere, the committee warned that there appears to be 'no single guiding mind' balancing the need for improvements with the impact on bills. It is therefore calling for the Government to plug the gaps in regulator responsibilities and be explicit on the trade-offs between the need for improvements, water supply needs, and the impact on bills. In terms of financial failings, the PAC is urging Ofwat to review its powers and capabilities to ensure it can act to improve the financial resilience of the sector. Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, PAC chairman, said: 'The monumental scale of work required to reverse the fortunes of failing water companies is rivalled only in difficulty by the efforts needed to repair customers' faith in the sector. 'In the face of looming water shortages, steps must be taken immediately if the Government is to set the sector back on the right path. 'Customers are being expected to shoulder the burden of water companies' failings, without being told why or on what their money will be spent. 'It is past time that we had a low risk, low return water sector, from its current farcical state of overly complex, sometimes unregulated companies, and a culture of excessive dividends and borrowing. 'There is also a lot to be done in the regulatory sphere, with a pressing need to improve and streamline the existing regulatory regime. ' More must be done to stem the flow of pollution entering our waterways, as it poses a serious risk to human health and continues to degrade the quality of our lakes and rivers. 'However, regulators are overwhelmed by the number of prosecutions and appear unable to deter companies from acting unlawfully. 'Government must act now to strengthen regulators and support their efforts to hold companies to account.' An Environment Agency spokesperson said: 'We take our role in protecting environment and regulating the water sector very seriously. 'Our enforcement action has led to over £151 million in fines since 2015 and we are conducting the largest ever criminal investigation into potential widespread non-compliance by water companies at thousands of sewage treatment works. 'We're also modernising our approach to regulating the water sector, with more regulation and enforcement officers, better data and are on track to carry out 10,000 inspections this year.'
Malay Mail
11-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Finance Minister II cooperative in PAC hearing on MAHB privatisation, says panel
KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 — Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan has provided good cooperation throughout the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) proceedings regarding the issue of share sales and privatisation of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB). PAC member Sim Tze Tzin stated that yesterday's proceedings went smoothly and Amir Hamzah successfully answered all questions from the committee. 'Just finished the proceedings, now we need to go through the report. The proceedings went well, (Amir Hamzah) was responsive and answered all questions,' he said when contacted last night. Meanwhile, PAC Chairman Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin, through a Facebook post, said the proceedings with Amir Hamzah were the seventh this week. 'The proceedings lasted for 2 hours and 35 minutes,' she said. When contacted tonight, Mas Ermieyati said that the PAC would issue a statement regarding the proceedings today. Yesterday, Mas Ermieyati stated that the move to summon Amir Hamzah was to continue the proceedings concerning the management of public airports under the Ministry of Finance, MAHB, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). Throughout this week, the PAC has held six proceedings on the issue, involving six witnesses: former MAHB Chief Executive Officer Raja Azmi Raja Nazuddin, Hong Leong Investment Bank Berhad (HLIB) Chief Executive Officer Lee Jim Leng, and Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) Chief Executive Officer Datuk Nik Amlizan Mahamed. The other three witnesses were Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) Group President and Chief Executive Datuk Abdul Rahman Ahmad, Bursa Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Datuk Fad'l Mohamed, and Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) Executive Director Datuk Zain Azhari Mazlan, who represented SC Chairman Datuk Mohammad Faiz Azmi. — Bernama
Irish Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Department of Public Expenditure faces ‘embarrassing' €700,000 Revenue bill after payroll errors
The Department of Public Expenditure is facing having to pay about €700,000 in interest to the Revenue Commissioners over delays and inaccuracies in its tax deductions. Members of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee queried whether the issue was 'embarrassing' for the department which oversees public-sector efficiency. The secretary general of the department, David Moloney, told the committee on Thursday that there had been significant errors and he was not happy about the situation. The issue relates to deductions from the retirement benefits of former public service staff with high-value pensions worth more than €2 million. In such cases the tax is paid by the pension administrator, who recoups the money by reducing the benefits over a 20-year period. The committee heard that a review of about 20 cases by the Comptroller and Auditor General , Seamus McCarthy, between 2015 and 2023 found that while deductions had, correctly, been made from the pensions, in only six instances had the money actually been paid over to the Revenue. READ MORE Deductions worth about €2.3 million had remained on the books of the department. A subsequent Revenue sample audit this year identified other issues regarding taxation of high-value pensions. Bernie Kelly, chief executive of the National Shared Service Office, said a review had identified 23 cases where chargeable excess tax (CET) had not been calculated correctly, of which 19 had been validated. She said this had generated a liability of €1.4 million. Ms Kelly told Fine Gael TD James Geoghegan that about €230,000 in interest payments would be triggered on foot of the liability in the case where the CET had been incorrectly calculated. The department had earlier told the committee that more than €468,744 in interest payments had been paid in relation to the earlier cases where the tax had been correctly calculated but the money was not passed on the Revenue. Mr Moloney said it would be a matter for the Revenue Commissioners as to whether further penalties would be applied in addition to the interest. Mr Geoghegan asked Mr Moloney whether this was 'embarrassing' for the Department of Public Expenditure to have to make interest payments to the Revenue Commissioners for the late payment of taxes when it held other departments to account over their spending. Mr Moloney said he was not happy about the situation and that his department strived to pay people correctly.
