According to the compliance audit report by the Auditor Generals office, major discrepancies have been detected regarding the aid provided by Aasandha.
The aid is being provided to Maldivians who are abroad for medical purposes and unable to return due to the closure of borders of those countries. The report reflects that MVR 83,315,122 is the allocated budget for expenditure during COVID-19 where MVR 14,838,341 has been spent. The budget includes aid to patients, patients family or helpers along with income support allowance to those who are facing financial difficulties due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the major issues outlined in the report include financial aid provided to the same individual by two institutions for the same period, money deposited to account at a later date after the demise of the patient, payments made at inaccurate rates that the allocated rate, and releasing payments without confirming dates to start giving aid while also lacking ticket copies which are required to confirm the dates.
For example, four individuals were given MVR 21,033 more than the allocated amount and MVR 9,498 was deposited to account after the demise of the patient. Moreover, MVR 157,284 was processed without collecting ticket copies while MVR 116,807 was given to three individuals for days before the arrival date to Maldives.
However, The Managing Director of Aasandha Company Ltd, Mariyam Shafeeq has revealed that the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) was behind providing this financial aid. She said that Aasandha only carried out NSPA’s requests to assist the agency in providing the funds.
