Auditor General Urges Stronger Oversight as Cabinet Reviews 2024-2025 Audit Findings

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Auditor General Ahmed Issa Guutaale has urged the government to accelerate implementation of audit recommendations, strengthen financial oversight and improve accountability across public institutions after presenting the findings of audits conducted in 2024 and 2025.

Guutaale briefed the cabinet on the results of audits covering government institutions, highlighting progress in expanding the scope of audits, increasing the number of audit reports produced and submitting annual audit reports within statutory deadlines.

He also outlined areas requiring further action, including faster implementation of audit recommendations, strengthening the authority of accounting officers, introducing a standard framework for the transfer of responsibilities between government institutions, improving oversight of publicly funded projects and reinforcing scrutiny of contractors and service providers working on government programmes.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre welcomed the report, stressing the importance of translating audit findings into concrete administrative reforms to safeguard public resources and strengthen financial governance.

He called on government institutions to implement the recommendations and take corrective measures where weaknesses had been identified, saying stronger accountability was essential to improving public service delivery and protecting state assets.

The Auditor General’s Office also welcomed the cabinet’s approval of draft legislation establishing a National Revenue Authority, describing the measure as one of its longstanding recommendations aimed at strengthening domestic revenue administration, improving financial transparency and enhancing public accountability.

The briefing comes as Somalia continues implementing economic and governance reforms under programmes supported by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank following the country’s debt relief in late 2023. Strengthening public financial management, increasing domestic revenue collection and improving oversight of government spending remain central to the reform agenda.

International partners have repeatedly identified stronger auditing, anti-corruption measures and transparent management of public finances as key priorities for sustaining Somalia’s economic reforms and attracting greater investment, while the federal government has pledged to improve accountability across state institutions.