The People’s National Congress Reform/A Partnership for National Unity (PNCR/APNU) has pointed to the findings of the 2024 Auditor General’s Report as evidence of persistent weaknesses in public financial management, procurement practices and government accountability, arguing that billions of dollars in public resources remain exposed to waste and mismanagement.
The opposition’s concerns come against the backdrop of Guyana’s unprecedented oil revenues and rapidly expanding public expenditure, circumstances that many observers have argued require stronger—not weaker—oversight mechanisms.
In a statement, PNCR/APNU said the report paints a troubling picture of governance and financial management across several government agencies.
“The Auditor General’s Report on the Public Accounts of Guyana for 2024 found several significant weaknesses in economic management, procurement, record-keeping, accountability and oversight,” the partnership stated.
Among the findings highlighted were overpayments totaling approximately G$1.011 billion across 86 contracts administered by ministries and regional administrations.
According to the Auditor General, the overpayments occurred on measured works where contractors were paid more than the value of work completed. The partnership noted that G$902 million of the overpayments were recorded within ministries and government departments, while another G$109.99 million occurred within Regional Democratic Councils.
The report also found that auditors were unable to examine 120 payment vouchers valued at G$877.286 million because supporting documents were unavailable. The largest sums involved the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Region Three and Region Ten.
Quoting directly from the report, the opposition that has 12 parliamentary seats noted, that “it could not be ascertained whether value was received for the sums involved, and whether the funds were used for the purposes intended.”
The opposition further drew attention to findings showing that auditors could not independently verify expenditures totaling approximately G$900 million due to insufficient supporting documentation.
The report also identified 824 outstanding cheque orders valued at G$4.928 billion as of September 2025, while thousands of stale-dated cheques worth billions more remained unreconciled and had not been returned to the Consolidated Fund.
Significant concerns were also raised regarding the health sector.
According to the report, drugs and medical supplies valued at G$10.289 billion were dispatched by the Ministry of Health to regional administrations, but no reconciliation records existed to confirm that the items sent matched those received.
Additionally, outstanding drug deliveries totaled G$3.607 billion, while supplies worth G$94.082 million from previous years had still not been delivered.
The Auditor General also reported that 268,515 units of expired drugs valued at G$1.098 billion were disposed of during the review period, with a further G$327.293 million worth of expired pharmaceuticals awaiting disposal.
The partnership argued that these findings support concerns previously raised about inefficiencies in public spending and inventory management.
The PNCR/APNU also highlighted findings involving the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, where auditors reported that financial statements were not submitted for G$480 million received during 2024, following a similar issue involving G$240 million in 2023.
Another area of concern relates to the implementation of recommendations made by the Auditor General.
According to the report, of the 179 recommendations issued in 2023, only 48—or 27 percent—were fully implemented. Ninety-six recommendations were partially implemented while 35 were not implemented at all.
The Auditor General reportedly concluded that the recurring nature of many findings points to continuing governance weaknesses and inadequate corrective action.
Beyond the individual findings, the PNCR/APNU linked the report to broader concerns regarding parliamentary scrutiny of public expenditure.
The partnership argued that effective oversight institutions become even more important as government spending expands. It also referenced recent public pressure that led the Government to refer the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill to a Special Select Committee, contending that citizen engagement can influence government decision-making.
“The fact that the [People’s Progressive Party/Civic] PPP/C, because of pressure from citizens, changed course by sending the Sex Offenders Act to a select committee suggests that public outcry from the people can result in change and exposes the government’s unwillingness to consult,” PNCR/APNU stated.
The opposition called for stronger accountability mechanisms, greater transparency and renewed attention to the findings contained in the Auditor General’s report.
The concerns raised are not occurring in a vacuum. For decades, allegations of corruption, weak procurement controls and inadequate accountability have featured prominently in political debate in Guyana. International governance assessments, including those by organisations such as the World Bank, Transparency International and the U.S. Department of State, have periodically identified corruption, weaknesses in public procurement, and shortcomings in institutional oversight as continuing governance challenges facing the country.
What makes the latest findings particularly significant is that they emerge during an era of unprecedented resource availability. Since the commencement of oil production in 2019, government revenues have expanded dramatically, creating opportunities to improve healthcare, education, infrastructure, housing and social services.
Since the start of oil production in December 2019, Guyana has accumulated over US$8 billion in petroleum revenues from profit oil and royalties, significantly expanding the resources available to the State.
However, development experts have long warned that increased revenues alone do not guarantee improved living standards. Strong institutions, effective oversight and rigorous accountability are equally essential to ensuring that national wealth translates into measurable gains in human development.
The recurring nature of many audit findings, coupled with the low rate of implementation of Auditor General recommendations, raises broader questions about the capacity and willingness of public institutions to address longstanding deficiencies. When recommendations remain only partially implemented year after year, governance weaknesses risk becoming institutionalized rather than corrected.
Equally concerning is the continued debate surrounding the effectiveness of legislative oversight mechanisms, particularly the role of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in examining government expenditure and ensuring corrective action. Concerns have been expressed by sections of civil society, governance advocates and political stakeholders that the Committee has been unable to function as effectively as intended during both the 12th and 13th Parliaments due to prolonged delays, challenges in securing a quorum, and the infrequent sittings of the National Assembly.
As a consequence, scrutiny of the Auditor General’s findings has often been delayed, limiting the Committee’s ability to hold accounting officers accountable and ensure timely corrective action. Where oversight institutions are weakened, constrained or ineffective, opportunities for waste, inefficiency and misuse of public resources inevitably increase.
Ultimately, the significance of the Auditor General’s report extends beyond accounting irregularities and administrative deficiencies. Every dollar lost through waste, poor planning, weak controls or ineffective oversight represents resources that could otherwise be directed toward improving schools, hospitals, roads, water systems, public safety and economic opportunities for citizens.
For a country seeking to transform unprecedented oil wealth into broad-based prosperity, the central issue is not merely whether deficiencies are identified, but whether they are corrected. The answer to that question will play a major role in determining whether Guyana’s resource boom translates into sustainable human development or becomes another example of wealth outpacing governance.
For more on the Report, read here
