Financial irregularities in all Sudan states, auditor-general reports

Auditor-General El Tahir Abdelgayoum said that criminal activities with public money totaled SDG 11.8 million ($1,761,000), of which SDG4.6 ($686,508) occurred in the centre of Sudan and SDG7.2 million ($1,074,530) in the states.

On Wednesday, the auditor-general told the National Parliament that “financial irregularities” by holders of constitutional posts in the states have amounted to SDG1.3 million ($194,000*). White Nile state topped these numbers with SDG2 million. Financial irregularities amount in South Darfur to SDG618,000.

Abdelgayoum also reported irregularities in the Zakat (Muslim alms) Chamber, as it did not comply with disbursement according to Islamic law. His report stated that 6,259 companies have refused to pay zakat.

He pointed out that 50 percent of the poor families in Sudan have not received social support by the state. “Besides, some of the poor in the states lack direct access to cash.”

The Hajj (pilgrimage) Administration has received 2.1 million Saudi Rial from Sudanese pilgrims which were not transferred to Saudi Arabia, nor returned to the pilgrims. In addition the Administration received incentives totaling SDG490,000.

Transit fees disappeared

As for the Ministry of Oil and Finance, the auditor-general reported the disappearance of SDG724 million and $156 million of transit fees in the final accounts.

He revealed in the Customs Administration setting a side of SDG 36 million of the revenues and spending the amount SDG 43.6 million without legal basis and the allocation of 50% of the customs revenue for service money fund without right.

The auditor-general often reports large-scale financial irregularities and embezzlement by the central and other states. Last February, auditor-general Abdelwahab Omer Abu Bakr said that the bulk of the embezzlement in El Gedaref state in fiscal year 2015 occurred within the ministries of finance and Health.

* The official rate for the US Dollar quoted by the Central Bank of Sudan is SDG6.66 as can be seen in online currency converters, however on the ‘parallel market’, the Dollar has been trading for more than SDG28 on the streets of Khartoum.