Source: The National | Jesher Tilto | June 30,2025

Members of Parliament yet to acquit their 2024 Service Improvement Program funds to the Department of Implementation and Rural Development (DIRD) have been reminded to do so. 

Acting department secretary Aihi Vaki told the 20-plus MPs yet to submit their acquittals that, despite the directive of the Ombudsman Commission (OC) for them to meet the March 31st deadline, his department would still accept them. 

In February, the OC issued a statement urging all MPs to acquit their 2024 provincial service improvement program (PSIP) funds and district service improvement programme (DSIP) funds by March 31. 

The OC warned that failure to do so could prompt further inquiry under the Leadership Code, a code of ethics that leaders are expected to know and follow. 

"It is important that this directive is complied with as non-compliance will result in charges of misconduct in office under section 23 of the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership. 

Vaki said the department is focused more on monitoring the implementation, performance audit and reporting of developments by the 118 dub national administration. It needs the acquittals from MPs to perform its functions. 

"We need to ensure that compliance is maintained because this is public money that has to be accounted for.

" This is the process that all MPs and their administrations must follow, " he said. 

Meanwhile, Kaugua Erave MP Maina Pano handed over his DSIP acquittals for 2019, 2020, and 2024 to the department yesterday.