Amman, Dec. 24 (Petra) – The Lower House of Parliament voted by majority on Wednesday to refer the Audit Bureau’s 73rd annual report for 2024 to the Parliamentary Finance Committee, following an initial discussion of its key findings related to public performance, expenditure, administrative practices, and government oversight mechanisms.
The decision was taken during a legislative session chaired by Speaker Mazen Qadi, with Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and members of the government team in attendance.
Members of parliament underscored the need to preserve the Audit Bureau’s independence as a supreme oversight authority, calling for broader powers and judicial capacity for its staff to enhance accountability and enforcement.
MPs commended the Bureau’s efforts in preparing the 73rd annual report and called for strengthening its human and technical capacities, describing the Audit Bureau as a cornerstone institution for safeguarding public funds and combating corruption and abuse of authority.
During the debate, lawmakers questioned the withdrawal of Audit Bureau representatives from ministries and government departments, warning that reliance solely on internal audit units could weaken external oversight. They also raised questions about the reduced size of the report, asking whether this reflected fewer violations or a decline in oversight activity.
MPs stressed the need to hold all individuals involved in corruption accountable and to refer such cases to the judiciary. They also called for the report to comprehensively cover all companies in which the government holds a stake.
The discussion focused on challenges facing public administration, the efficiency of public spending, sound resource management, and compliance with applicable legislation. Lawmakers urged a review of mechanisms for handling oversight reports and called for moving from recommendations to concrete corrective action, warning that inaction would undermine the oversight system.
Speaker Qadi allocated two minutes to each MP to comment on the "Accountability 2024" report. He had formally received the report on Tuesday during a meeting with Audit Bureau President Radi Hammadin.
At the report’s launch, Hammadin said the Bureau achieved financial savings of JD22.3 million in 2024 through the implementation of approximately 123,300 oversight tasks.
//Petra// AJ
