CoPF finds only 35 Chartered Accountants auditing nearly 2,000 public institutions

Friday, 22 August 2025 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

CoPF finds National Audit Office struggling to retain qualified professionals
Unattractive salaries reason for high staff turnover
Finds computer systems are outdated
CoPF approves 2026 Budget Estimate of National Audit Office

The Parliament Secretariat yesterday said that the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has found that the National Audit Office has only 35 Chartered Accountants to oversee nearly 2,000 public institutions including Ministries, Departments and State-owned enterprises.

The CoPF convened on Monday and approved the 2026 Budget Estimate of the unstaffed and underequipped National Audit Office for submission to Parliament. The decision was made at the Committee’s meeting on Tuesday, chaired by Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) MP Rauff Hakeem in the absence of regular Chairman main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dr. Harsha de Silva, who was

overseas.

Officials from the National Audit Office, including Acting Auditor General G.H.D. Dharmapala and representatives from the Department of National Budget attended the meeting.

The CoPF discussed structural and operational issues within the Audit Office, which oversees nearly 2,000 public institutions and State enterprises. Concerns raised included severe staff shortages, outdated systems, and the need for technological modernisation.

Officials reported that only about 35 Chartered Accountants currently serve in the Audit Office. They cited low salary scales as a key obstacle to retaining qualified staff. Members also examined proposals to establish provincial-level offices and to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) tools to improve efficiency with limited personnel.

The Audit Office, mandated under the Audit Act, No. 19 of 2018, faces growing demands amid scrutiny of public finances and State-owned entities. The Committee’s approval allows the Budget Estimate to move forward with its recommendations for Parliamentary debate.