Business · Sri Lanka Bureau
COPA flags procurement breaches and asset mismanagement at Southern Provincial Council
Sri Lanka's Committee on Public Accounts has identified serious irregularities in procurement practices and public asset management at the Southern Provincial Council, citing financial losses and inadequate accounting procedures. The findings include the sale of an asphalt production machine without proper inventory documentation for related materials.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has raised alarm over multiple governance failures at the Southern Provincial Council (SPC), according to recent deliberations by the parliamentary oversight body. The committee's inquiry revealed systematic procurement irregularities, improper disposal of public assets, and unaccounted financial losses within the provincial administration.
Among the specific concerns flagged by COPA is the auctioning of an asphalt production machine without adequate verification of associated inventory, including stocks of bitumen and diesel fuel. The committee found that the council had failed to maintain proper accounting records prior to the asset's disposal, raising questions about the transparency and oversight of the transaction.
The investigation points to broader deficiencies in asset management protocols and procurement procedures at the SPC. COPA's findings suggest a pattern of administrative lapses that may have contributed to unnecessary financial losses and the inefficient utilization of public resources earmarked for provincial development.
The committee's scrutiny represents part of COPA's regular mandate to examine public accounts and ensure fiscal accountability across government institutions. The findings are expected to prompt corrective action and enhanced monitoring mechanisms within the Southern Provincial Council's administrative operations.
Photo: The Parliament of Sri Lanka at Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte. Dennis Sylvester Hurd via Wikimedia Commons (CC0).