Seven Years Without An Audit: Kavango west Council Under Parliamentary Spotlight
Questions over financial accountability have come under the spotlight after the Kavango West Regional Council revealed that its financial statements have not been audited for seven consecutive years.
The revelation emerged on Tuesday when the Council’s leadership and management appeared before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) during a public hearing of the National Assembly.
According to information presented to the committee, the Council last submitted its financial statements for auditing in 2017.
Financial statements for subsequent years have therefore remained unaudited by the Auditor-General.
The disclosure places the Council’s financial reporting record under scrutiny, particularly given the importance of independent audits in determining whether public funds are properly managed and accounted for.
Audited financial statements provide Parliament and other oversight institutions with an independent assessment of an institution’s financial position and use of public resources.
Where accounts remain unaudited for extended periods, parliamentary oversight of expenditure becomes more difficult.
Members of the PAC raised concerns about the prolonged gap and the Council’s compliance with its financial reporting obligations.
The committee emphasised that public institutions are expected to prepare and submit their financial statements within the periods prescribed by law so that the Auditor-General can conduct the necessary audits.
PAC Chairperson Hon. Hendrik Gaobaeb said the committee has a clear responsibility to examine how public money is managed and spent.
“Today our role is very simple and clear: that of ensuring prudent financial management within public institutions.
Our obligation is to interrogate and scrutinise public expenditure,” Gaobaeb said.
The committee stressed that financial reporting and auditing are not merely administrative requirements, but key mechanisms for promoting transparency, accountability and responsible governance.
The Kavango West Regional Council is now under pressure to address its outstanding financial reporting obligations and ensure that its accounts are brought up to date.
The hearing also highlighted the broader role of parliamentary oversight in ensuring that institutions entrusted with public resources comply with financial management requirements and remain accountable to the public.
