Mogadishu(Mogadishu24)-Somalia’s House of the People on Wednesday passed the National Audit Bill submitted by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, by a majority vote after going through the third reading.

Abdullahi Omar Abshirow, the Assistant Deputy Speaker of the House of People, announced the voting results, stating that the bill has been voted for by 135 MPs, 3 MPs rejected, and 4 MPs remained silent.

Somalia’s Minister of Finance, Bihi Iman Egeh, highlighted the importance of approving the Audit Bill in the country’s efforts to reform financial institutions.

“Today the House of the People has passed the National Audit Bill which is an important bill for revamping the country’s financial management institutions as well as reducing the theft of public funds,” said Bihi Egeh, the Federal Minister for Finance.

The Auditor General expressed appreciation to the House of the People for passing the bill after several readings, a process that took considerable time.

“The passage of this bill by House of the People signals the beginning of a positive step forward, and a new journey in the right direction for the office of the Auditor General.”

“The Audit bill will contribute to the efforts to strengthen and improve the public financial management institutions of the Federal Government of Somalia, as well as enhancing accountability, transparency and anti-corruption; all key pillars in improving access to public services,” reads the statement from the office of the Auditor General.

The government of Somalia has been putting a lot of effort to organize and strengthen the country’s financial system, a crucial condition for completing the debt relief program set by the international community.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has declared a war against corruption, ordering the arrest of officials and government employees involved in the theft of public property and abuse of power, regardless of their ranks.

In this efforts, the Federal Government of Somalia arrested high-ranking officials, presenting them before the Benadir regional court on charges of corruption, forgery, and abuse of government office in relation to a $21 million work-permit scandal.