‘$6.6B Drain Disaster’

Nov 06, 2025 News

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…AG report exposes shocking waste, missing records at NDIA

(Kaieteur News) – A damning Performance Audit has found that the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) burned through a staggering $6.6 billion between 2021 and mid-2024 to “maintain” drainage and irrigation assets, while major gaps in oversight, planning and accountability were left to fester.

The audit report, tabled Monday in the National Assembly, revealed ballooning maintenance costs, from $1.079B in 2021 to $2.461B in 2023, but no proper systems to show taxpayers are getting value for money. In fact, assets records were badly kept, critical information missing, and more than 30 key management positions — including CEO, Deputy CEO, Legal Officer and Manager of Operations — were left vacant for years. Shockingly the report highlighted that there were notable gaps in planning, monitoring and verification processes of the authority, with key staff area remaining vacant.

The NDIA is a department under the Agriculture Ministry whose primary responsibility is drainage, irrigation and flood control across the country. “There was a significant increase in the NDIA expenditure for maintaining its assets over the years, from $1.079 billion in 2021 to $2.461 billion in 2023.However, there were some concerns that clear systems to guide asset management operations may not be in place, which could make it challenging to ensure the best value is achieved from spending on asset maintenance activities,” the report stated.

The Performance Audit was conducted from 1 January 2021 to 31 June 2024 with the aim of determining whether NDIA’s asset management system is efficiently and effectively managed to achieve its objective. This specific type of audit was selected based on the significance of the “concerns highlighted by citizens in the media over the years regarding the effects of flooding on their livelihoods and consequent losses, (and) the substantial increase in NDIA expenditure for maintaining its assets from 2021 to 2024,” the report added.

Nevertheless, the NDIA has ensured that the necessary machines and equipment for drainage and irrigation are available across all regions of Guyana and “between 2021 and 2024, over $6.6B was allocated to maintain these assets in working condition. At the same time, there are still notable gaps in planning, monitoring, and verification processes and key positions were still vacant.”

Additionally, it was discovered that management records were either not presented or not properly maintained while formal documents which were to guide operations as well as support sound asset management were not fully in place. During the Performance Audit, it was discovered that there was a shortage of staff and key positions unfilled, with the Authority having over 30 vacant positions in its organisational structure annually.

“Positions such as Chief Executive Officer, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Corporate Secretary/Legal Officer, Manager of Operations and Maintenance, among others, were vacant up to September 2024 when the audit field work was concluded. These were necessary for the effective management of assets,” the report highlighted.

In the report, it was recommended that filling the vacant position, and strengthening documentation, alongside oversight, and structured asset management systems presents opportunities for the Authority to ensure sustained performance of these asset investments.

Asset register

Another critical area which is not intact is the asset register. This is maintained by the Authority, however, it was found to be lacking vital information, as a result of not being accurately and properly maintained. Key information such as the location of assets along with their serial number, identification number, and transfer details was not evident. Therefore, the Authority cannot properly track the assets owned and controlled, the report cited.

The asset management system is not properly monitored and evaluated as a result the report said that, “Asset Performance Indicators were not established, and a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of the system used to manage assets was not done. As such, information provided for decision making may not be accurate, stakeholders would not be reliably and adequately informed, and the effectiveness of the Authority’s performance would not be accurate.”

In order for all of the issues to be addressed the Audit Office made 22 recommendations to management for improvement. Through the full implementation of the recommendation, NDIA will be able to better manage its assets. It is important to note that this “audit did not focus on the equipment located in Regions No. 1, 7, and 8, the construction of infrastructure, the purchasing of equipment, assessing the fairness and accuracy of NDIA’s financial statements, or evaluating the broader policy frameworks of the Ministry of Agriculture or environmental impact,” the report.

APNU weighs in

Meanwhile A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member or Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul, in a statement to the media on Wednesday, called for continuous examination of agencies and for the NDIA to implement all 22 of the recommendations stated in the report.

Mahipaul said that, “The findings of the Auditor General’s Performance Audit Report on the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) are deeply troubling and underscore the urgent need for stronger systems of accountability and oversight across public agencies in Guyana.”

“I therefore call for: Continuous examination of agencies such as the NDIA by the Audit Office to determine whether public resources are being effectively and efficiently managed; implementation of all 22 recommendations made by the Auditor General to strengthen governance, record-keeping, and internal control systems; and an expansion of performance audits across other critical agencies within the Ministry of Agriculture and beyond, to evaluate whether national resources are achieving the outcomes for which they were allocated,” the MP said.

Mahipaul explained that unlike compliance audits, performance audits are focused on efficiency, effectiveness and the economy. In this way they help parliament as well as the public understand whether or not the agencies are following the rules and delivering real results. Since Guyana is a country that is investing heavily in infrastructure, flood such audits are indispensable.

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• Agriculture Ministry, Mahipaul, NDIA, Performance Audit Report

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