The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) is currently auditing the relief aid provided for victims of September's powerful earthquake that devastated parts of West Sumatra province.
West Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Coordinating Unit chief Ade Edward said the BPK was conducting a thorough assessment of all aid distributed in the form of cash and supplies - from the government and other agencies.
"Team members from the BPK have been working over the past month, conducting audit up to the district level," he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Ade said reports on the use of funds and distribution of relief aid following the 7.9-magnitude quake on Sept. 30, 2009, had earlier been handed over to the central government.
"The assessment does not only cover funds, food and medicine supplies from the central government, but also relief aid from the private sector, other provincial administrations, local and foreign aid groups and foreign aid," he said.
The BPK audit, Ade said, was a regular procedure and was being carried out to ensure transparency and accountability in the quake disaster management.
"The government wants to make sure the relief aid was used appropriately ... and also wants to prevent embezzlement at command posts and in the field," he said.
One of the BPK's duties is to audit the use of funds used to create an inventory of damaged homes and buildings of quake survivors. The West Sumatra provincial administration provided Rp 1.7 billion (about US$170,000) to a team from Andalas University to assess buildings that were damaged.
The team, however, has yet to complete its task, despite the deadline falling on Nov. 20, with the outcome of the assessment intended to serve as a yardstick for the distribution of reconstruction funds.
"The government plans to provide Rp 15 million to repair each badly damaged house and Rp 10 million to each moderately damaged home, using money from the state budget. Aid funding would also be made available from regency and municipal administrations, with Rp 1 million supplied per house for slightly damaged homes, most probably by next year," Ade said.
The BPK will also audit food assistance funding allocated for survivors whose houses were damaged. The funds, amounting to only Rp 5,000 per person, should have been distributed in the first month after the quake, but a portion of this funding has yet to be disbursed.
