Eastern Province questioned over missing textbooks

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) yesterday took to task Eastern Province accounts managers to explain the whereabouts of the missing 1678 text books donated by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).According to the 2011 Auditor General report, 1678 text books valued at US$31,363.55 (Rwf18, 821, 267) weren’t accounted for by the province. The report says 115320 text books were donated by ADRA however on recounting the auditors found 113642 text books meaning 1678 text books were missing. In his defence the province’s Executive Secretary; Jean Marie Vianney Makombe told the committee that the problem came about because the province did not have proper storage facilities.“You see, 115, 000 books are very many books. There was even an error of not counting them so as to put them in the records. The accountant was not informed that the books were there,” he said.Makombe also said that some secondary schools and universities that were given books did not sign acknowledging receipt.On further grilling, the Province’s Director of Good Governance, Madeleine Byukusenge stepped in blaming ADRA for giving them a misleading figure. She explained that ADRA letter accompanying the books indicated a total of 115, 320, but when her team counted, they noted a difference. However, no immediate action was taken.“At that time, we did not notify ADRA until the auditors [OAG] came and found out. That is when they [auditors] asked us whether we tried to ask ADRA about the actual number of books sent to us. That is when we wrote to ADRA, and they also responded informing us that the books were 113,000 and not 115,000”Byukusenge echoed Makombe’s defence saying that the Province had no storage facility and no storekeeper at the time of the donation. Hon. Jeanne d’Arc Uwimanimpaye insisted that whatever the case, they should not have just received books and kept them without verifying the number and signing for it.The committee chairperson, Hon. Juvenal Nkusi, expressed his disapproval of how the books issue was handled and pointed out that “no one can guarantee” that what they told the committee is true. Nkusi castigated the province authorities for mismanagement. The Governor, Odette Uwamariya addmiited the mistakes and expressed disapproval for the errors by her officials.“When you get a donation or grant, you should give it its due value so as not to understate the financial statements. And thus, whoever receives them should notify the accountant so that things are recorded. I think we should accept these observations and move on.”The Auditor General’s report also says that the Director of Good Governance did not produce the distribution report of books to schools as it was recommended by the management meeting of the Province of August 11, 2010. There was only a schedule showing how the books were distributed to districts but there was no evidence to show that these books were subsequently distributed to schools as expected. In absence of a distribution report of books to schools and evidence of receipt of the books by the schools, it is difficult to confirm whether books reached the ultimate intended beneficiaries.The Auditor General’s report indicates that in a letter dated March 24, 2011, ADRA Rwanda gave the Province 115,320 books worth US$2,155,449.80 for distribution to districts in the Province, to enhance academic performance in schools.Management of the Province received the books only by stamping for receipt on the ADRA letter but the books were stored without being counted. The lack of an official goods received note made it difficult to confirm the actual number of books delivered to the Province and those distributed to schools.Auditors also noted that the number of books on the distribution report of books to seven districts in the Province is different from the distribution sheet attached to support the quantity of books distributed. The quantity of books in the distribution report is high than the quantity appearing in the distribution sheet by 6,626 books.

National

Eastern Province questioned over missing textbooks