Comptroller's Office Evidences Tax Findings of $5.292 Million in Evaluating Rural Social Housing Subsidies

The Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic reported on Wednesday that an auditing process of the rural housing axis was concluded, which is a program implemented by the Agrarian Bank for the benefit of the most vulnerable peasants in Colombia, in which it showed findings amounting to $5,292 million.

This was noted by the Comptroller Delegate for the Agricultural Sector, Gabriel Romero, who pointed out that these irregularities in the management of resources for housing construction of the poorest populations living in rural areas were presented because some projects being carried out in Putumayo, Antioquia, San Andrés and Córdoba have not been executed and the audits did not do their job.

“We show that beneficiaries of housing projects have been withdrawn unilaterally and for reasons that are not liable to them, such as non-compliance by contractors and auditors, or incorrect presentation of projects by bidders,” said the Comptroller's Office.

It also noted that situations were found such as structuring housing projects on land unsuitable for construction or delivery of houses without meeting technical requirements, while it was evident that Banco Agrario would have allowed compliance policies to expire without claiming for non-compliance presented.

“In cases of advances to contractors, they do not present amortisations according to the alleged progress of work, and in a large number of cases the coverage of the insurance policies of these contracts is overdue,” the entity said.

Finally, the Comptroller Delegate for the Agricultural Sector indicated that the entity will continue its work of monitoring resources for rural housing in the regions, one of the projects that benefit one of the most vulnerable populations and with the highest poverty rates in the country.

“The supervisory body has reiterated that the Victims Act is underfunded. The Comptroller's Office estimates that by 2030 the National Government must invest about $357 billion for the more than 9 million Colombians included in the National Registry of Victims, and the largest investments are related to housing issues, about $24 billion, and food, for a similar amount,” said the entity on September 9. April 2021.

Between 2020 and 2021, a Compliance Audit on Administrative Compensation was carried out, which revealed 18 findings, of which ten have a disciplinary impact and one fiscal impact with a possible detriment of approximately $7.4 million pesos.

“Compliance Audit on Rural Housing Subsidies provided by the Banco Agrario de Colombia (BAC), which established 23 administrative findings, of which 20 have a suspected disciplinary impact and 11 of fiscal scope, determining a total capital damage of $5,531 million,” the agency indicated on that occasion comptroller.

A Special Action was also carried out to Fonvivienda on the legalization of subsidies from the Previous Stock Exchange program and a financial audit was carried out to the Special Administrative Unit for the Comprehensive Care and Reparation of Victims (Uariv).

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