MUSCAT, FEB 22 - The State Audit Institution (SAI) has started implementing the annual audit plan of 2020, approved by Shaikh Nasser bin Hilal al Mawali, Chairman of SAI, in 2019. This plan is viewed as the last operational plan of SAI that comes in line with the 9th Five Year Development Plan (2016-2020). As for the audit plan 2020, senior audit expert Mohammed bin Hassan al Shehi, Director of Planning Department at SAI, said the annual audit plan has been adopted to include entities subject to SAI audit and which are targeted in 2020 audit assignments. Such assignments are carried out by audit groups following a specific time-frame to accomplish audit objectives.
Al Shehi also said that the audit plan is one of the critical tools that directs available sources of SAI. The plan is prepared with a selection of audit subjects as per a methodology and professional standards that depend heavily on analysing relative importance and risk assessment in the entities targeted to review. In addition, the plan makes use of audit manuals and international standards. Al Shehi highlighted that the execution of the plan is carried out through directing human capital and financial resources available to achieve efficiency and effectiveness of work. SAI is also committed to informing the entities with the audit findings, follow up on the recommendations as per specific timelines in order to realise best results possible and add value.
The Director of Planning Department said that SAI took into consideration when preparing the plan the application of different types of audit as stipulated by SAI Law. Such audits include, financial audit (accounting and legal), administrative audit, performance audit and compliance audit. The 2020 audit plan focuses on different pillars such as: the goals of the 9th 5YDP (2016-2020) as it is the complementing plan of 2020 vision, audit of subjects of strategic dimensions and those aiming to promote integrity, detect financial and administrative contraventions, as well as review incomes, expenditure, issue vouchers, loans and credit facilities.
Al Shehi added that the plan aims to audit tax revenues, entities’ investments in and outside the Sultanate and the implementation of policies and pillars of the long-term development plans. The audit plan also focuses on reviewing strategic and infrastructure projects listed in the 9th 5YDP (2016-2010) in order to validate their execution within budget and timeline specified and quality required. In addition, the plan aims to measure the projects’ contribution to the development process of the Sultanate, ensure the compliance of the contracted companies in managing the operation of public facilities, audit administrative decisions to ensure their compliance with the laws and financial and administrative regulations as well as review financial transactions and assess the performance of establishments, institutions, investments and companies.
As for the statistics relevant to the annual audit plan, the Director of Planning Department stated that around 621 entities are subject to SAI’s audit, 269 of which are primary entities in addition to 352 sub-entities covering different sectors. The audit assignments listed in the annual audit plan of 2020 reached 263 assignments for different entities and authorities. The audit assignments conducted during the period 2011-2019 reached 1,637, which resulted in 2,099 audit reports.
The audit findings achieved value addition through savings, recoveries, rectifying some procedures and bridging gaps in cooperation with the audited entities through implementing recommendations of the audit report. Several audit assignments resulted in referring a number of violations to the public prosecution to take legal actions as required.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
