December 15, 2012 (KHARTOUM) – A report drafted by Sudan’s Inspector General listed forty cases of improper financial transactions between banks and government agencies worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The report accused government entities of declining to reveal the details and the nature of special relations they have with these banks. This is in violation of an Inspector General directive requiring disclosure of these special relations in a formal filing.

Banks themselves extended credit to these agencies without performing due diligence or ensuring that sufficient collateral existed before giving out these loans, the report said.

It also questioned the multiplicity of funding operations on projects that have failed in the past.

Tenders were also awarded to companies for prices that exceeded the market rate and some private companies owned by government officials took over duties of some government sub-agencies.

Overall these widespread improper practices led to waste of public and state’s money, the report concluded.

The money in question totaled €17.1 million and more than 1.2 billion Sudanese pound ($171 million). This occurred in 6 banks, 4 government bodies, 4 state-owned firms and one ministry.

The Inspector General implored the parliament to issue tough laws forcing disclosure of special relations or conflict of interests to preserve the state’s money.

(ST)