Mogadishu (Dawan Africa) – Somalia’s Office of the Auditor General (OAG) has announced the formation of a technical committee to oversee the $153 million Baxnaano cash transfer program, after its 2024 audit report revealed major gaps in transparency and accountability.
According to the OAG, the decision followed a meeting in Mogadishu on Wednesday that brought together senior officials from the Auditor General’s office, the Accountant General, and the World Food Programme (WFP). The discussions focused on failures in sharing beneficiary records and weaknesses in verifying cash disbursements under the World Bank–funded program, which provides support to more than 200,000 Somali households.
In its statement, the OAG said:
“The Auditor General, the Accountant General and WFP agreed to form a technical committee, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, to work on beneficiary data sharing for the Baxnaano program and implement the Auditor General’s recommendations.”
The OAG confirmed that the committee’s mandate will be to propose solutions on beneficiary data sharing, enforce reporting standards, and ensure compliance with the 2024 audit findings.
According to the OAG, WFP Country Director El Khidir Daloum Mohamud Ahmed presented the agency’s internal control measures during the meeting and expressed readiness to cooperate with Somali institutions. The Auditor General and the Accountant General thanked WFP for what they described as a prompt response to the audit concerns.
The announcement comes just days after the OAG’s 2024 financial audit report raised serious concerns about oversight of the Baxnaano program. According to the audit, WFP failed to provide beneficiary data to Somali authorities, making it impossible for the government to independently verify whether the aid was reaching its intended recipients.
The report also revealed that an amended agreement between the Federal Government of Somalia and WFP—meant to include data-sharing provisions—had not been formally registered with the OAG, raising further concerns about legal and financial oversight.