The Governance Action Report on NAO recommendations on Public Funds

Accountability and good governance in the public administration are enhanced by recommendations made by external institutions of oversight. One such institution is the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The public administration invariably adopts and takes on such recommendations provided their implementation is possible. This valid contribution serves to identify areas for improvement, enhance service delivery and to action long-term changes such as amendments to policy and legislation where required.

A quantum leap in the afore-mentioned efforts to set higher standards in the public administration is the Public Service Strategy Initiative 52.2, which stipulates that conformity by ministries to the recommendations made by the Ombudsman has to be accomplished within 90 days.

The Office of the Principal Permanent Secretary has entrusted the Governance Action Directorate to probe into and keep track of the cases put forward by the Ombudsman and his Commissioners across the ministries, departments and entities.

Ministries are obliged to send quarterly updates to this Directorate on the new cases received in the current year and their status, and also report developments on cases of previous year/s. Our officers together with our ministerial counterparts investigate each case and follow up progress until its recommendation, if accepted, is fully accomplished.

The Governance Action Directorate holds exit meetings with representatives from the ministries involved to clarify grey areas before the final drafting of the report in reply to the Ombudsman's annual report.

Latest edition of Governance Action on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Annual Report 2024 was published on 5 December 2025.​​

Accountability and good governance in public administration are strengthened by the recommendations made by external control institutions. One of these institutions is the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman. The public administration always welcomes those recommendations that can possibly be implemented. This valuable contribution serves to identify areas where there is room for improvement, better service delivery as well as to drive long-term changes such as amendments to policy and legislation as necessary.

A major leap in efforts to achieve higher standards is Initiative 52.2 of the Public Service Strategy, which stipulates that compliance with the Ombudsman's recommendations must be achieved within 90 days.

The Office of the Principal Permanent Secretary has tasked the Directorate for Governance Action with investigating cases brought by the Ombudsman and his Commissioners against ministries, departments and entities and continuously monitoring progress. Ministries are required to report to this Directorate every three months on new cases received in that particular year, the stage they have reached and also report on the progress made in pending cases from previous years. Our officers, together with their counterparts in the ministries, investigate each case and continue to update on the progress made until the Ombudsman's recommendation, if accepted, is fully implemented.

The Directorate for Governance Action holds closing meetings with representatives of the ministries involved in order to make any clarifications before the final draft of the report is prepared in response to the Ombudsman's annual report of the previous year.

The most recent edition of Governance Action on the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Annual Report 2022, was published on 13 March 2024.