Comprehensive inspection will be conducted in Thanh Ha commune (Thanh Chuong)

Where does the electricity industry refund money go?

On June 13, 2019, from a citizen's petition, Nghe An Newspaper published an article "Thanh Ha Commune, more hot issues", reflecting on the lack of transparency in the revenue and expenditure of investment funds for the construction of the power line in Hamlet 14. Now, through verification, it is confirmed that this commune has seriously violated financial principles, with many signs of violations in the use of people's contributions and the electricity industry's reimbursement funds...

In the file sent to Nghe An Newspaper in early June 2019, Hamlet 14 Chief, Mr. Duong Dinh Hue, sent a petition "Ask Thanh Chuong District Electricity" with the following contents: When handing over the 10kw power line project in Hamlet 14, Thanh Ha Commune to the Electricity Department for management, how much money will the electricity industry return to the People's Committee of Thanh Ha Commune? How will the return be made?

Village chief of Hamlet 14 Duong Dinh Hue talks with reporters at Nghe An Newspaper. Photo: HG

Talking to Nghe An Newspaper reporters at this time, Mr. Duong Dinh Hue earnestly requested: “We have asked the commune leaders to respond to this content to inform the people, but they keep evading the matter. This is a project with negative signs. Therefore, we hope Nghe An Newspaper will find out and inform the Command Board of Hamlet 14 and the people...”.

Because the wishes of the people of hamlet 14, Thanh Ha commune are legitimate, Nghe An Newspaper reporters have forwarded the information to Nghe An Electricity Company. The answer from the responsible person of the electricity sector is: The rural medium voltage grid of Thanh Ha commune, Thanh Chuong district (invested after February 28, 1999 and handed over before October 1, 2007) has been reimbursed with a total cost of 396,588,000 VND. The payment is made in two installments: the first installment is 95%, the second installment is 5%. This money is transferred to the district's account opened at the State Treasury of Thanh Chuong district.

A representative of Nghe An Electricity Company said: “In reality, the money that the electricity industry refunds is often used by communes to invest in infrastructure construction because even if it is returned to the people, the amount of money that reaches each household is not much. However, the refunded funds must be made public and transparent. At the same time, people's opinions must be sought when using that fund to invest in construction projects...”.

"To clarify when the refunded funds were transferred to Thanh Ha Commune People's Committee...".

Representative of Nghe An Electricity Company

Documents, payment authorization papers, and electronic invoices show that the Thanh Chuong District Planning and Finance Department transferred the medium-voltage grid reimbursement funds to the Thanh Ha Commune People's Committee in 2013. Photo: Nhat Lan

On July 1, 2019, Nghe An Newspaper reporters transferred this information to the Finance - Planning Department of Thanh Chuong district. After checking the documents and working with the State Treasury of Thanh Chuong district, on the morning of July 2, 2019, Head of the Finance - Planning Department, Mr. Nguyen Van Thang confirmed that the electricity sector's budget to return the medium voltage grid of Thanh Ha commune had been transferred to the People's Committee of Thanh Ha commune, as informed by Nghe An Electricity Company, which was 396,588,000 VND. The transfer was made twice in 2013. Specifically, on May 31, 2013, the Finance - Planning Department transferred 376,760,000 VND to the People's Committee of Thanh Ha commune; on July 25, 2013, it continued to transfer 19,828,000 VND. Checking the related documents provided by the Finance - Planning Department, on electronic invoices, payment orders..., clearly shows the times this department transferred "medium voltage grid funds" to the receiving unit, the People's Committee of Thanh Ha commune!.

Where do people contribute money?

As reported in the article “Thanh Ha Commune, more “hot” incidents”, the power line in Hamlet 14, Thanh Ha Commune was built in 1997, but it was not completed until 2003, and the power was turned on for people to use. The total construction cost was 430 million VND. To have the funds to build the power line, the Military - People - Government Conference of Hamlet 14 proposed a resolution that each household borrow 2 million VND from the bank to contribute. The whole Hamlet 14 has 154 households, but at this stage, only 50 households borrowed 100 million VND. Therefore, the remaining funds had to be borrowed from the Cooperative for 300 million VND and Hamlet Chief Duong Dinh Hue “contributed” up to 30 million.

Minutes of the military-civilian-government meeting of hamlet 14 in 2001, including the content of borrowing capital to contribute to the construction of power lines.

The article also reflects that after the power line was completed, more than one hundred households in hamlet 14 who had not yet contributed to electricity usage had to pay from 2.5 million to 2.8 million VND. In addition, a number of organizations and individuals doing business in the area and neighboring areas also paid to use electricity. It is worth mentioning that the collection of fees is very arbitrary. From the government, cooperatives, and even officials in the commune have the right to collect. Meanwhile, how much is collected, how it is used, and for what work is not public and transparent. From 2004 to now, the commune People's Committee has not yet cleared the entire power line project...

After the article was published, Nghe An Newspaper continued to receive more information and "Receipts" for "electricity investment" funds, which showed the arbitrariness and carelessness of Thanh Ha Commune People's Committee.

On the "Receipts" it is shown that, in addition to households in hamlets 14 and 15 of Thanh Ha commune, there are also many households in neighboring communes such as Thanh Long and Thanh Tung who also asked to pay money to "invest in power lines" to use electricity. Also from these "Receipts", it can be confirmed that the budget collected by Thanh Ha commune People's Committee from 104 households in hamlet 14, along with households in hamlet 15, households in Thanh Tung and Thanh Long communes amounted to several hundred million VND. Calculated in the period of 2004 - 2007, this was a very large amount of money. So where is this money? What did Thanh Ha commune People's Committee use it for?

Some "Receipts" of "electricity investment" funds from Thanh Ha Commune People's Committee for households in Hamlet 14, Thanh Tung Commune, Thanh Long. Photo: Nhat Lan

Comprehensive inspection of Thanh Ha commune!

Mr. Nguyen Van Thang - Head of the Finance and Planning Department of Thanh Chuong district said that when Nghe An Newspaper reported information related to the investment in the construction of the power line in Hamlet 14, Thanh Ha Commune, he felt concerned. Mr. Thang said that this is the content that the district needs to check to clearly answer the people and the press.

Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People's Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Que said that he followed the articles reported by Nghe An Newspaper about Thanh Ha Commune. He affirmed that he would conduct a comprehensive inspection of Thanh Ha Commune, because this locality has too many existing problems and shortcomings, while the state management apparatus has many weaknesses. Mr. Nguyen Van Que said: "I also just reminded the department officials that work efficiency is not how many documents are issued, but how many tasks have been resolved. Particularly for Thanh Ha Commune, Thanh Chuong District will establish an inspection team to conduct a comprehensive inspection. Thanh Chuong accepts the information reported by the newspaper and will conduct a serious inspection. In case there are signs of violations, it will be transferred to the investigation agency for handling according to the provisions of law...".

On July 2, 2019, Hamlet 14 Chief Duong Dinh Hue said that recently, Thanh Ha Commune leaders "blamed" him for not submitting a petition to the commune for "internal handling". And he replied: "Most of you have retired. Luckily, I am not sick yet, otherwise my wife and children would have to bear this debt for the rest of their lives. What is the point of "internal handling" anymore? Just bring it to court, whoever is at fault will have to take responsibility...".