Auditor General Flags U.S.$1.82 Million Waste On Abandoned Makuti Dry Port Project

The Auditor General has flagged a significant loss of US$1.82 million in public funds due to the abandonment of the Makuti Dry Port Project. The expenditure occurred between 2022 and 2025, primarily on consultancy and project design services, before the project's viability was properly assessed through a feasibility study.

According to the latest Auditor General's report, the project board decided to discontinue the initiative on March 17, 2025, deeming it economically unviable. This decision rendered the substantial prior spending fruitless.

The Auditor General stated that failing to conduct a feasibility study before committing public resources contravened the Public Finance Management Act. This act requires public entities to establish effective systems for evaluating major capital projects prior to implementation. The report highlights weaknesses in project planning and governance, classifying the US$1.82 million as unfruitful expenditure.

The findings underscore concerns about the management of public resources and emphasize the need for government institutions to adhere to the Public Finance Management Act. The report recommends strengthening project planning processes and ensuring comprehensive viability assessments are completed before committing significant public funds to major infrastructure projects to prevent costly abandoned investments.

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The Makuti Dry Port Project incurred USD1.82 million from 2022 to 2025 related to consultancy and project design services without conducting a feasibility study prior to initiating the project. On 17 March 2025, the Board resolved to discontinue the project after it was assessed not to be viable.