Streamlining Accountability : Blostering Government
Transparency and Citizens Participation Trough Enhanced
Information Exchange
Presented by:
Abdulameer Al Lawati
Head of Systems Section
State Audit Institution
Sultanate of Oman
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Overview
• Evolution of State Audit Institution
• Community Relations Department
• Complaints E- Window
• Impacts & Achievements
• Constraints & Lessons learnt
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Sultanate of Oman
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AREA: 309,500 sq. km.
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POPULATION: (3.6 m) mid 2012
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CAPITAL: Muscat
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LIFE EXPECTANCY ( 2012 ): 75.4
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POPULATION DENSITY: 11.6
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The SULTANATE IS DIVIDED INTO 11 MAIN
ADMINISTRATIVE Governorates
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GDP per capita ( 2011 ) : US $ 21,236
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GNI per capita ( 2011 ): US $ 20,025
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CURRENCY: 1 OMR = US $ 2.58
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TIME DIFFERENCE: GMT + 4 hours
* Source : National Center of Information & Statistics - Oman
Evolution of State Audit Institution (SAI)
1970 Department under Ministry of Finance
1981 Directorate General under Ministry of Diwan Affairs
1999 Operational Independence
2000 State Audit Law
2011 Updated Sate Audit Law
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Objectives
• Protect the State public funds and private funds
• Ensure the enforcement of Laws, regulations, systems and decision
• Prevent conflicts of interest and financial or administrative
violations
• Detect deficiencies or weaknesses in the applicable financial and
administrative laws , regulations and systems in force and
recommend measures for rectification
• Abide by the principles of transparency in financial and
administrative dispositions
• Carry out preventive audit
• Evaluate the performance of the entities (EEE’s)
• Detect the reasons for deficient output and performance
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Community Relations Department (CRD)
• Report directly to Chairman Office
• handle complaints management
• promote SAI communication channels both internally and externally
• awareness towards transparency, public accountability and audit
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Complaints Window
• Electronic form for feedback and complaints
• Launched in Jul 2011
• Around 377 feedbacks and complaints were registered
• Objectives :
–
–
–
–
Activate E-participation concept
Create new channel with citizens
Enhancing Information Exchange
Involve citizen in combating corruption
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Complaints Window
http://www.sai.gov.om/en/Complain.aspx
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SAI Mobile App
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Complaint Process Mechanism
Through Window
complaint
Community
Relations
Dept.
Results
Concern Dept.
•Verification
•Inspection
Chairman Office
• Take Action
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Statistics of Complaints and Notices (2011-2012)
Other
Improper Assigning in Tenders
Public Disruption
2011
2012
Authority Abuse
Financial and administrative
irregularities…
0
50
100
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150
200
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The Impacts
• Social Impact
- Created mechanism for redressal of Citizens grievances.
- Established mechanism where whistle blowers can escalate red flags to
SAI.
- Improved the faith of citizens in administration.
- Strengthened compliance with internal control.
- Contribute to Good Governance.
- Citizens become a partner in ensuring transparency.
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The Impacts … (cont.)
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Achievements
• 377 audit engagement were taken up based on identified
malpractices from the complaints.
• About 30 cases referred for investigation by the SAI to the public
prosecution.
• 2011 approximately USD 883 Million of public funds were recovered
and saved.
Highest support from the SAI Chairman, was key to its Success
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Marketing and Awareness
• Citizens have rights for quality service from government and the
protection of public funds and assets.
• Good feedback from customers and citizens along with their
responses from social media network, online chat forum, Facebook
& Twitter , etc, provided the impetus for SAI to uphold their roles
with integrity and honor.
• Government organizations are now more receptive of public
feedback and SAI’s recommendations.
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Marketing and Awareness
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Our Fliers
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Constraints and Lessons Learnt
• Need to carry out business process re-engineering and setting out
the policy and procedures on handling the complaints before
launching the E- Complaints window
• The competencies of the staff handling and managing the
complaints had to be ascertained before putting them on the job.
This would reduce any adverse communication.
• Implementing the initiative was very tedious and demanding. If
more time were available, the IT system could be integrated into
the main Audit Management System. Through the use of dashboard
for monitoring and tracking the situations, the SAI can monitor and
enhance strategic planning and reporting.
• Provide automation and linking for every audit team so that they
can connect with the SAI Head office anywhere and anytime. This
would assist in expediting their communications with the Head
office.
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THANK YOU
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