Undersecretary of the State Audit Bureau (SAB) Ismail Al-Ghanim speaks at the meeting.

KUWAIT: Undersecretary of the State Audit Bureau (SAB) Ismail Al-Ghanim stressed yesterday the significance of prior surveillance over projects, saying it cannot impede the implementation of ventures.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines on a meeting of the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) and Arab Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ARABOSAI) with supreme control bodies and stakeholders, Ghanim said prior surveillance has several advantages for governmental agencies, primarily proper execution of procedures, fair competition and legal awarding.

Despite low oil prices, 2015 was a milestone year for the government-funded projects with more than KD 9.7 billion worth of contracts being awarded during the year, marking a 20 percent growth over the previous year, according to a recent National Bank of Kuwait analysis. Furthermore, the year 2016 is likely to be a bumper year, as the authorities plan to sign a variety of mega project deals worth KD 16.7 billion by the year-end.

Asked if the SAB has a special agenda with the start of the new fiscal year in April, he said his agency would continue working in line with the instructions of the Cabinet, Ministry of Finance and His Highness the Amir for retrenchment measures due to the current circumstances.

Oversight and investigations

All state bodies, authorities and agencies are subject to the control of the State Audit Bureau, he said, regretting that some departments fail to cooperate with the SAB properly. In January, lawmakers called on the Kuwait Investment Authority to cooperate with the National Assembly and the State Audit Bureau over an investigation into a real estate sale conducted by the KIA.

The SAB undersecretary also noted that repeated violations by state bodies could be due to reshuffles of senior officials, urging all authorities to exert more concerted efforts in the coming period in light of the continuing fall in oil prices.

During the one-day meeting, Ghanim said the SAB cooperates with the IDI, which is a non-profit organization that acts as the capacity building secretariat of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), which today comprises 189 Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs). The IDI works to enhance the institutional capacity of SAIs in developing countries through needs-based, collaborative and sustainable development programs in INTOSAI regions and groups of SAIs to meet the emerging and existing needs of stakeholders.

Deputy Director General and Head of Capacity Development of the IDI Archana P Shirsat told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that IDID appreciated the SAB's hosting of the meeting