HRH Premier receives National Audit Report 2014/2015

Manama, Nov. 3 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has affirmed the outstanding professional and supervisory level of the work of the National Audit Office (NAO). He praised the quantum leap made in NAO's performance regarding its supervisory role and support of the government in preserving financial resources through identifying violations and irregularities and spotting squandering of public money cases, commending the efforts of NAO President and staff. HRH Premier asserted that the government has adopted numerous measures to ensure the highest degrees of control over aspects of public money spending and use to ensure maximum benefit from it. "There is no complacency regarding tampering with public money; it is the money of the state and the right of the people, and the legal and constitutional tools in force can allow the government to counter any illegal practices in using it," he said. HRH Premier made the remarks as he received at the Gudaibiya Palace today the President of the National Audit Office (NAO) Hassan bin Khalifa Al-Jalahma, who handed over to him the annual National Audit Report 2014/2015. HRH Premier praised the crucial role played by NAO in supporting the government's efforts to preserve public money and rationalise its spending. HRH the Prime Minister hailed NAO's effective exercise of its supervisory role, using the existing laws and legislation that regulate its work and contributed to improving the performance of many sides that are under its capacity. Following the audience, NAO President said the 2014/2015 National Audit Report is the 12th of its kind to be submitted to HRH Premier, as required by Article (19) of NAW Law. He praised the Premier's interest in following up on the implementation of NAO's remarks, noting that the government's commitment to implementing NAO's recommendations will contribute to enhancing its performance. He affirmed that NAO will continue its cooperation with the government in line with the two sides' commitment to ensuring national interests and achieving common national goals. Al-Jalahma praised the cooperation of ministers and heads of government departments with NAO, which, he said, has enable it to assume the duties assigned to it in the best way. He lauded the support allocated to NAO by the Executive Branch, represented by HRH the Prime Minister, citing his annual sound directives to implement the NAO's recommendations. He stressed that HRH Premier's directives and remarks on this year's report affirm anew the government's interest to implementing the remarks and recommendations. He also said HRH Premier's praise of NAO's role in improving the government's performance and promoting the values of transparency, fairness and preservation of public money.