NHDA spent over Rs. 472m on publicity campaigns during last Govt.: PM

• NHDA which came under present Opp. Leader spent millions on newspapers ads, other modes of publicity
• PM says Finance Ministry conducting an audit

The National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) had spent over Rs. 472 million on advertising and publicity campaigns during the previous Government, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa told Parliament yesterday.

He said that the Finance Ministry had already commenced an audit regarding those expenses.

The Prime Minister Rajapaksa said this in response to a query by SLPP Galle District MP Sampath Authukorala, during PM Question Time in the House yesterday.

Rajapaksa said Rs. 85 million had been spent for printing posters, invitation cards and commemorative magazines. Another RS.42 million had been spent to create stone plaques, house number plates and other similar displays. For newspaper advertisements the Authority had spent Rs. 345 million.

He added that these publicity campaigns had not resulted in any profit for the NHDA, but the public gained a considerable awareness of the housing projects of the then Government.

MP Athukorala in his query observed that the NHDA was under the purview of the present Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa who was then the Minister of Housing.

“A Media and Publicity Unit was established in January 2015 for the NHDA which continued until November 2019. The Media Unit which was under the direct purview of the Authority’s Chairman was tasked with raising awareness on the housing projects carried out by the Authority. The Media Unit had a staff of more than 40 persons by the end of 2019. Public money was spent to build up personal images via that Media Unit,” he said.

He questioned how much these publicity campaigns cost in taxpayers’ money.