The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) has revealed that the Department of Railways failed to submit audit reports properly for several years, raising concerns over serious inefficiency within the institution.
According to the Auditor General, the department’s Audit and Management Committees had not convened for the past five years, and key audit inquiries were left unaddressed.
COPA noted that the absence of these committees deprived the department of the opportunity to identify and rectify major administrative shortcomings.
It was also disclosed that annual audit reports had not been submitted to Parliament on time, with the 2020 report only being presented in 2023.
In fact, reports for 2020, 2021, and 2022 were all submitted together in 2023, which COPA described as a sign of severe administrative weakness.
COPA emphasized that public officials, regardless of the government in power, must carry out their duties responsibly and ensure transparency.
The committee also pointed out that only a limited number of audits had been conducted and that 27 audit queries remain unanswered.
In response, General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways Dhammika Jayasundara pledged to hold all four required Audit and Management Committee meetings within this year.
Chief Financial Officer P.D.R.M. Divamani admitted the delays and explained that collecting information from the department’s nine divisions contributed to the slow responses.
