Audit finds Thoddoo Council overspent on Eid, recovery of excess payments ordered

The Auditor General’s Office has disclosed that the council of Thoddoo island in Alif Alif atoll spent a substantial portion of its budget on the 2023 Eid-al-Adha celebrations.

According to the 2023 Compliance Audit Report of the Thoddoo Council, the council’s secretariat failed to consider cost-effective alternatives when organizing the festivities.

The report highlighted that total expenditure on the event amounted to MVR 719,742, of which MVR 509,742 was drawn directly from the council’s budget.

This spending represented 8.4 percent of the council’s total expenditure from block grants and internal revenue, excluding salaries.

The Audit Office noted that this constituted an excessively high proportion of the council’s overall budget.

The audit report provided a breakdown of several key expenses, including MVR 57,307 spent on fireworks, MVR 205,500 allocated for music shows and other activities, and MVR 83,475 used to cover travel and accommodation costs for performing artists and their crews.

The report also listed additional miscellaneous expenditures related to the event.

The report further revealed that a private company was contracted for MVR 270,000 to organize the celebrations.

Despite the high cost, certain elements of the event were found to be of substandard quality.

In addition to this, MVR 210,000 collected by the council as donations for the celebrations was also handed over to the same company.

The Auditor General’s Office clarified that this payment was made in excess of the agreed contract amount and has instructed the council to recover the funds.

The council has also been advised to strengthen measures aimed at improving financial discipline and reducing costs in future activities.