The investor of the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway announced on Wednesday that it has reprimanded several officers for mismanaging up to VNĐ410 billion (US$18.2 million) by the State audit.

The investor of the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway announced on Wednesday that it has reprimanded several officers for mismanaging up to VNĐ410 billion (US$18.2 million) by the State audit.— Photo zing.vn

The State-owned Viet Nam Expressway Corporation (VEC) said in a press release it had investigated individuals involved and took actions against them after the State audit reached its conclusion on the VNĐ34 trillion project.

According to the audit report, VEC had to cut VNĐ410 billion from the project’s accounts. The corporation so far only managed to cut some VNĐ378 billion.

About VNĐ32.5 billion was still on hold a month after report came out, said the VEC, due to delays in payment to contractors and some packages still awaiting approval from ministries.

Regarding the financial gap of VNĐ410 billion found by the State audit, VEC said it had reprimanded more than 20 officers working in the project. They included the VEC’s head, one deputy head and three officers of the Appraisal Division together with the head, two deputy heads and seven members of the Environmental Technology and Engineering Division.

VEC’s team of bidding experts and the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway Management Board’s director, three deputy directors and two division heads were criticised for their negligence.

This is the second time in two days VEC had to discipline those involved in the expressway project. Earlier on Tuesday, VEC announced that it had suspended expressway management board director Nguyễn Tiến Thành from work while warning four units and five individuals following the appearance of potholes on the road after just a year of use.

Under public pressure, VEC had to stop collecting tolls and fix all the potholes.

The 140km-long Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway was funded by the Japan International Co-operation Agency and the World Bank. 

Da Nang-Quang NgaiExpressway’s investment down by $266 mln

The total investment of the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Ngãi Expressway was expected to fall to VNĐ28 trillion (US$1.24 billion), a 19 per cent decrease from the initial amount, according to the State audit.

The Government previously approved the construction of the expressway with investment of more than VNĐ34.5 trillion.

The State audit said that the Ministry of Transport - the unit overseeing the project, the Viet Nam Expressway Corporation (VEC) and localities that have the expressway run through (Da Nang, Quang Nam and Quảng Ngãi) mobilised and used the funding in line with the law.

The project was able to save up to VNĐ4.16 trillion after having contractors selected in international bidding, according to the audit report. — VNS