NGOs spend billions unchecked

*Rs. 30 billion spent by registered NGOs

*Double that amount unchecked by unregistered groups

* Urgent need for NGO Regulation Bill as billions spent without oversight

Colombo, October 29 (Daily Mirror) - The local and international NGOs registered with the National NGO Secretariat - have committed to spend as much as Rs.30 billion this year, yet more than double this amount is spent by such organisations which are unregistered, warranting the need to enact the proposed NGO Regulation and Supervision Bill as early as possible, an informed source said.

The bill which was drafted by the previous government is now pending with the line ministry after clearance by the Legal Draftsman’s Department.

The NGOs are currently registered in terms of the Voluntary Social Service Organisations (Registration and Supervision) Act and the Company Act. After that, they apply for registration with the NGO Secretariat, which is now under the purview of the Public Security Ministry.

An informed source said there are 1,851 registered with the NGO Secretariat and 618 of them only remain active at the moment. The secretariat has direct supervision of spending by these NGOs involved in various development and charity projects in collaboration with the government institutions.

However, according to the source, 700 NGOs remain under the purview of the Registrar of Companies. The NGO Secretariat has no control over spending and activities by them, the source said.

“It is important to have the new bill enacted to bind them for registration. Otherwise, there is no control and supervision over their activities,” the source said.

Daily Mirror learns that some NGOs have included mainly family members in their boards to run operations.

“There are others with foreigners only in their boards,” the source said.