2024-08-06 14:29:19
In a strong warning, the Comptroller General of the Republic, Carlos Hernán Rodríguez Becerra, has raised serious concerns about the low budget execution of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).
The warning was issued on Monday with the aim of mitigating the possible damage caused by the La Niña phenomenon and other natural hazards affecting the country.
According to recent data, UNGRD has only used 0.96% of the budget allocated to risk and disaster management between January 1 and July 31, 2024.In addition, a backlog of 0.02% ($2.13 billion) of what was contracted in 2023 was not executed and was carried over to this year without being resolved.
Rodríguez Becerra made an urgent call to the current director of the UNGRD, Carlos Carrillo. Although Carrillo He has exposed many irregularities inherited from his predecessor, Olmedo López, and faces the crucial task of managing and fulfilling the commitments and contracts he received, or replacing them when necessary.
Among the concerns highlighted, the Comptroller mentioned the case of the 40 tank trucks acquired for La Guajiraat a cost of $47.8 billion. These vehicles, which initially faced cost overruns, are now abandoned and not in operation, without having fulfilled the expected service.
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Another critical issue is the director’s decision to terminate contracts early to mitigate the risk of landslides and avalanches in Mocoa, an area prone to tragedies. The problem also persists with the gap in the Cauca River in “Caregato”, which causes serious flooding in La Mojana. The Comptroller’s Office has already begun a preliminary inquiry to review UNGRD’s fiscal management in these cases.
In addition, the Comptroller General’s Office is conducting additional investigations into UNGRD’s contracting at the national level.. Currently, 17 fiscal control actions are underway for $96.303 million and precautionary measures have been ordered for $29.013 million, related to community soup kitchens, yellow machinery, tank trucks and the “Zero Hunger” program, among others.
The Comptroller’s Office has intensified its surveillance after noticing irregularities in the hiring of tanker trucks in Uribia. Three administrative and fiscal sanctioning proceedings have been initiated against former directors of UNGRD, which are in various stages of evaluation.
In March, the Comptroller General declared the events related to UNGRD contracting to be of national impact and ordered the Anti-Corruption Unit to accelerate investigations into the last five years of contracting in this entity. The Directorate of Information, Analysis and Immediate Reaction (DIARI) and the Special Investigations Unit continue to review the information, with a focus on the contracting of yellow machinery, community pots and tank trucks, among others.
With more than 40 contracts under scrutiny and several emblematic cases, such as excessive payment for humanitarian aid and irregularities in the delivery of food kits, the Comptroller’s Office remains on alert to ensure the correct administration of public resources.
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