A recent audit by the National Audit Office has uncovered serious mismanagement of media equipment valued at Rs. 1.42 billion, procured for the Presidential Media Division (PMD) between 2015 and 2020. Cameras, laptops, and other assets issued through the Presidential Secretariat’s warehouse remain unaccounted for, sparking concerns over the lack of accountability in handling state resources.
The report states that 3,406 items of media equipment have gone missing. These were distributed from the warehouse system between 2014 and January 2020, during which equipment worth Rs. 162.27 million was issued annually. Despite this, only three inventory books related to the PMD were submitted for audit, none of which accounted for the missing items.
During a physical inspection conducted alongside a technical officer, auditors confirmed that 133 units of inventory worth Rs. 21.88 million were missing. PMD engineers, however, argued that the missing items’ value was closer to Rs. 3.5 million, raising questions about the accuracy of inventory assessments. Additionally, the audit revealed that from 2015 to 2019, no records were kept on the purchase or allocation of equipment. This absence of documentation was corroborated in a letter dated 10 February 2021, which noted that the equipment had not been included in annual inventory surveys during that period.
Instances of unreturned equipment further highlight the mismanagement. One individual failed to return 21 items, while another was issued three items, including two cameras valued at Rs. 2.5 million, which remain unreturned. These cases underscore the lack of oversight in tracking high-value state assets.
