The Auditor General, David Teika Dennis, is urgently calling on the Ministry of Public Service to enforce the Solomon Islands Governments’ Attendance Management Policy.
The call follows findings of an audit report by the Office of the Auditor General (OAG), into the policy, identifying ineffective implementation, which has led to an equivalent waste of nearly $1 billion dollars in public resources over the three years 2023 to 2025.
The audit carried out by the OAG Performance team, collected and analyzed data from only 3, out of 31 Ministries and Agencies, who presented sufficient data of implementing the policy, following its passage and approval in 2015 by Cabinet.
Data samples were from 2023 to 2025, and the audit was done in 2025 and finalized in June this year.
The policy aimed to achieve and sustain a productive, healthy, efficient and high performing public service to counter the high level of absenteeism, causing poor quality public services, loss of productivity and reduced work morale of staff.
The report identified 6 main findings including failure to install attendance monitoring devices within public offices, an unclear roll out strategy, lack of monitoring and evaluation of the policy, 25% payroll costs wasted on unauthorised absences and incomplete reinforcement of the policy and incorrect implementation not aligned to policy directives.
Auditor General Dennis says the report findings amplify the need to reinforce and oversee effective implementation of the Attendance Management Policy.
“This report highlights that the policy is not being taken seriously. When policies are passed, it must be communicated effectively to all whom it is meant to guide, along with clear roll out plans, against timeframes for ministries and agencies to roll out and achieve.
“The policy was passed by the cabinet in 2015 and at that time of the audit, last year, only two Ministries and a government agency had taken steps to enforce it. I am urging the Ministry of Public Service to ensure the policy is being rolled out and implemented effectively, so that public funds are being spent wisely and on much needed services,” AG Dennis said.
The report has been submitted to the National Parliament and is expected to be tabled by the Hon Speaker in the next parliament sitting.
