On the morning of October 13, a delegation from the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, Waste Prevention and Combating Negative Practices, led by Nguyen Huu Nghia, Member of the Party Central Committee, State Auditor General and member of the Steering Committee, held a working session with the Standing Board of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee to inspect and urge the implementation of measures to prevent and combat corruption, waste and negative practices in the province. The delegation also included Bui Quoc Dung, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy State Auditor General.
State Auditor General Nguyen Huu Nghia called on the Standing Board of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee to prioritize resolving outstanding issues and strictly implement the conclusions and recommendations of inspection, examination and State Audit agencies. Photo: XUAN HONG
Receiving and working with the delegation were Thai Dai Ngoc, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, Waste Prevention and Combating Negative Practices; Pham Anh Tuan, Member of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; and Rah Lan Chung, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, together with representatives of relevant agencies and units.
According to a report by the Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee, considerable attention has been paid to directing and implementing anti-corruption, waste prevention and negative-practice prevention measures in the province. Party committees and organizations have disseminated and translated the Party's guidelines and regulations, as well as the State's policies and laws, into programs and plans suited to local conditions. They have also strengthened inspection, supervision and examination activities, while enhancing coordination among relevant authorities to detect and handle violations.
The Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee has issued numerous directives on implementing regulations concerning power control in personnel affairs, inspection and supervision, examination, judicial activities, lawmaking, and the management and use of public finances and assets. The Provincial Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, Waste Prevention and Combating Negative Practices has been reorganized and strengthened, with work programs, inspections and supervision activities carried out accordingly. The Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Commission has advised on the issuance of 12 coordination regulations among relevant agencies, establishing a framework for improved information exchange and cooperation in detecting and addressing violations.
Overview of the working session. Photo: XUAN HONG
Despite these achievements, several shortcomings remain to be addressed. The management and handling of public assets, land and office premises following administrative restructuring have been slow. Records and data in some localities remain incomplete and inconsistent, while the implementation of certain conclusions and recommendations issued by inspection and audit agencies has been delayed.
Over the past five years, the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) has recommended financial adjustments totaling VND 2,930.4 billion in Gia Lai and Bình Định prior to their merger. The local authorities have implemented recommendations worth VND 2,759.2 billion, equivalent to 94.2% of the total. Audits have also identified several shortcomings in the management and use of public finances and assets, including the failure to fully maximize the effectiveness of budgetary resources, occasional non-compliance with budgetary discipline and the People's Council's decision-making authority, and potential risks of revenue losses and waste in land and public asset management. In addition, the transition to the two-tier local government model has created a need to further improve management mechanisms. Some audit recommendations have remained unresolved for several years and require review and definitive action.
The delegation from the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption, Waste Prevention and Combating Negative Practices and the State Audit Office of Vietnam works with the Standing Board of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee. Photo: XUAN HONG
Speaking at the meeting, State Auditor General Nguyen Huu Nghia acknowledged the seriousness and sense of responsibility demonstrated by the Standing Board of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee in preparing its report, providing records and documents, and explaining matters raised by the delegation. He noted that the province had made considerable efforts in directing and implementing measures to prevent and combat corruption, waste and negative practices, particularly amid the establishment of the new Gia Lai province following the merger of Gia Lai and Binh Dinh, which brought significant changes to the organizational structure and local government model.
State Auditor General Nguyen Huu Nghia also called on the Standing Board of the Provincial Party Committee to prioritize the handling of surplus land and office premises resulting from organizational restructuring; improve preventive measures and asset recovery; manage and utilize public assets and land more effectively; and strictly implement the conclusions and recommendations of inspection, examination and State Audit agencies.
To improve the effectiveness of anti-corruption, waste prevention and negative-practice prevention efforts in the coming period, Nguyen Huu Nghia urged the Standing Board of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee to continue disseminating and effectively implementing the Resolution of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam, together with the Central Government's guidelines and regulations on combating corruption, waste and negative practices. These efforts should be linked to Party building and rectification, political and ideological education, and the promotion of ethical conduct and a healthy lifestyle. The province should proactively prevent signs of ideological, ethical and lifestyle degradation, foster a culture of integrity, promote thrift and anti-waste practices, and emphasize the exemplary responsibility of heads of agencies and organizations.
The province was also asked to review and improve mechanisms and policies governing socio-economic management, Party building and the political system; strengthen power control; and enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of state management, particularly in sensitive areas prone to corruption, waste and negative practices. At the same time, it should continue reviewing and resolving obstacles affecting delayed projects and works, and handle surplus land and buildings in accordance with plans approved by competent authorities to prevent losses and waste of resources.
Dang Vinh Son, Member of the Standing Board of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee and Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Commission, delivers a report at the working session. Photo: XUAN HONG
Alongside preventive measures, the province should strengthen inspection, examination and supervision, particularly internal self-inspection and supervision, focusing on areas susceptible to violations and issues of public concern. Shortcomings and deficiencies must be promptly corrected. Outstanding matters under the conclusions and recommendations of inspection and audit delegations should be reviewed, with clear responsibilities assigned and implementation deadlines established.
State Auditor General Nguyen Huu Nghia further called on the province to improve the quality and effectiveness of the verification and handling of reports of crimes, investigations, prosecutions, trials and enforcement of judgments involving corruption, waste and negative practices. He also emphasized the need to resolve difficulties in asset appraisal and valuation. Strengthening the organizational structure, capacity and accountability of agencies responsible for combating corruption, waste and negative practices should go hand in hand with enhanced coordination and information sharing among relevant bodies.
In addition, the province should promote the supervisory roles of the People's Council, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations and the public. Greater emphasis should be placed on transparency, accountability, the effective operation of the two-tier local government model, and the performance of inspection bodies at the grassroots level.
To facilitate the preparation and submission of reports to the Central Steering Committee in accordance with regulations, the head of the delegation requested that the Standing Board of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee continue directing relevant agencies and units to supplement and update information and figures based on the working results of the delegation's assisting team and feedback from delegation members. The updated information should then be submitted to the State Audit Office of Vietnam for consolidation and preparation of the delegation's report.
The working session helped review achievements, identify shortcomings and determine priority tasks in preventing and combating corruption, waste and negative practices in Gia Lai. These efforts are expected to strengthen the accountability of Party committees, Party organizations and their leaders; reinforce power control and discipline; and improve the management and use of public finances and assets, thereby supporting the province's socio-economic development.