EDITORIAL: Work on CAG findings

The Office of the Controller and Auditor-General (CAG) was established under the 1977 Union Constitution, mandated with controllership of the Consolidated Fund, and auditing use of its funds.

CAG is a presidential appointee who heads the National Audit Office, the country’s supreme public audit institution.

CAG has constitutional and statutory powers, including unrestricted access to account books and information that’s subject to auditing, and independence in performing audit functions. He is not subject to any order or direction from anyone anywhere on any audit issues.

CAG is also empowered to call upon anyone for explanation and information, etc.

It is in this context that the immediate-past CAG, Mr Ludovick Utouh, counsels scrupulous implementation of the recommendations in CAG reports and findings – doing so in the interests of accountability and general good governance.

Addressing a civil society-based organisations (CSOs) forum in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, Mr Utouh said this calls for joint efforts among the three Branches of Government – the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary – stressing the need for the three pillars and associated institutions to conduct their mandatory functions –and themselves – in the best interests of the country and its people.

In this, we could not agree more with the former CAG.