By: Musa Yayou
The Ministry Tourism and Cultural Affairs was placed under intense scrutiny in the House of Parliament in Thursday 2nd July, 2026 at the New Administrative Building after lawmakers questioned officials over what they described as unexplained expenditure on overseas travel and a lack of supporting documentation in the ministry’s financial records.
During the hearing, Members of Parliament challenged ministry officials over a Le152.899 million front-loaded allocation reportedly used for overseas travel to Germany, demanding a detailed breakdown of how the money was spent. The questioning began after MPs sought clarification on whether funds reflected in the ministry’s financial documents constituted revenue received from the Ministry of Finance.
Initially, ministry officials appeared uncertain before acknowledging that the allocation had indeed been provided by the Ministry of Finance(MoF). “You said summary of revenue in your document. It is on your document,” Hon Biloh Shaw told the officials, emphasizing that after reviewing the records, the official admitted, “I missed it. I misunderstood your question.”
Parliament then shifted its attention to the overseas travel expenditure, with lawmakers making it clear they were not disputing the allocation itself but wanted evidence showing exactly how the money was spent. Hon. Biloh Shaw stated: “I am not asking about the allocation you were given. We have seen that. I am asking about the front-loading DSA in respect of overseas travel to Germany. I want a proper explanation of how this was expended.” Responding to the concerns, ministry officials explained that the overseas travel, including Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA), was insufficient to meet planned activities.
According to the officials, the ministry therefore applied for front-loading through its budget officer to access funds earlier than scheduled. The Ministry’s officials maintained that the front-loaded amount was not paid into any individual’s personal account but was used to finance official travel expenses. “It doesn’t mean this money was put into an individual’s pocket. The expenditure includes payments for air tickets and other travel costs, and there are supporting documents showing the organisations that were paid as well as the individuals who received DSA,” he explained. However, lawmakers insisted that verbal explanations were not enough and instructed the ministry to submit documentary evidence supporting every payment.
Parliament requested a comprehensive breakdown of the Le152.899 million, including the names of officers who received DSA, signed acknowledgement forms, the cost of each air ticket purchased, details of the travel agents or organisations paid, and the amount each traveller received as pocket money. As the hearing continued, MPs expressed even greater concern over another entry in the ministry’s financial records relating to a monthly standing imprest of Le150 million. One lawmaker observed that the situation on the following page of the financial report was “even worse,” noting that the document listed the monthly standing imprest without identifying beneficiaries or providing any expenditure breakdown. “There is no breakdown of this Le150 million,” the lawmaker stated, questioning the ministry’s compliance with public financial reporting standards. The exchanges formed part of Parliament’s broader oversight of public expenditure, with lawmakers stressing that all ministries, departments and agencies must provide transparent and verifiable records to justify the use of public funds. The ministry is expected to submit the requested documentation to Parliament for further examination.
