Mozambique's Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action has recently faced allegations of misappropriation of funds intended to support vulnerable families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister Nyeleti Mondlane, confronted with these accusations, rejected any irregularity in the handling of the more than 24 million euros allocated by the National Institute of Social Action (INAS) in 2021 to combat and prevent the pandemic.
According to the minister, the funds were correctly applied, reaching around 1.7 million families in need, at a critical time of global health crisis. This statement comes in response to an audit report by Mozambique's Administrative Court, which had pointed to an alleged misappropriation of funds, citing a lack of evidence of the delivery of the services contracted with the specified amount.
Despite the accusations detailed in the audit report, which also included improper payments and ineligible expenditure totalling several hundred thousand euros, Minister Mondlane highlighted the urgency and novelty of the situation imposed by COVID-19 as determining factors in the management of the funds. She defended the actions of her ministry and of the INAS staff who, she said, acted promptly to register and assist families in vulnerable circumstances, assuring that all expenditure was duly justified to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The Administrative Court's audit highlighted several irregularities, from the lack of supporting documents to the absence of effective control mechanisms in the selection of suppliers and the management of the funds, which were meant to mitigate the devastating effects of the pandemic on the most disadvantaged populations. The report also showed that the deficiencies found contributed to material misstatements in the financial statements relating to the disbursements made.
This episode highlights the challenges faced in managing emergency funds, especially in times of crisis, when speed of action is crucial, but so too are transparency and effectiveness in applying resources intended to relieve the suffering of millions.
