Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq - United States Department ...

Personnel Management. The MOI does notyet have accurate personnel accountabilityand reporting procedures, and it is unknownhow many of the more than 306,000employees on the ministry’s payroll arepresent for duty on a given day. MNSTC-Iestimates that, on an average day, less than70% of MOI personnel are present for duty.This is a combination of authorized absences(leave, school, sickness) and unauthorizedabsences. The problem of personnel accountabilityis being addressed through the purchaseof an automated human resources andpayroll system. The equipment and softwarefor this system were installed in January2007, and training has begun. Full deploymentof the system is expected to take 18months. Once complete, the personnel managementsystem will be integrated fully withemployee biometrics, improving the accuracyof employment rosters and facilitatingemployee criminal background screening.Equipment Accountability. Due to decentralizedcontrol and funding of elements thatcomprise the MOI, there is no standardizedunit equipment accountability procedure. Theresponsibility for proper equipment accountabilityis delegated to the subordinate organizations,with most elements maintainingequipment accountability through the use ofhand receipts and manual ledgers.Financial Accountability. Certain functionalareas of the MOI operate under an assortmentof financial authorities intended for a command-and-controlstructure that no longerexists. In this uncertain regulatory environment,proper financial reporting is inconsistentand results in difficulty for the MOI tobudget centrally and execute fundseffectively and transparently. Nevertheless,budget execution under Minister of InteriorJawad al-Bolani is improving and the ForeignMilitary Sales program will mitigate some ofthe risk of mismanagement in this area.Command and Control. The MOI TransitionTeam is focusing on developing the minister’sability to delineate authority,responsibility, and accountability clearlythroughout the MOI. The chain of commandis relatively clear and effective for NationalPolice and Border Forces. However, commandand control for the provincial police isunclear. The decentralized nature of the IraqiPolice Service often results in conflictingguidance and directives coming simultaneouslyfrom the central ministry and the provincialgovernment.Internal Audit FunctionsThe Audit Department within the MOI fallsunder the Inspector General’s (IG) office. PerCoalition Provisional Authority Order 57, theAudit Department is responsible for audits ofthe economy, efficiency, and effectiveness ofthe ministry’s operations and facilities.Currently, audit functions conducted for theIraqi Police Service and the National Policeare done via a separate audit element thatreports directly to the Minister of Interior.The Office of the Director General for Auditsprovides a person to fill the audit functionwith that element.During the fourth quarter of 2006, the MOIIG focused on improving MOI’s internalcapacity to identify, deter, and prevent corruption.Recent funding approval by theMinistry of Finance for increased force structureenabled the IG to embark on planningefforts to increase the number of employeesby 1,000 individuals during 2007. Theseresources will significantly improve the IG’sability to evaluate and report independentlyon the performance of MOI programs andoperations throughout Iraq. For the first time,the IG has developed an Annual InspectionPlan aimed at formalizing the use of IGspecial inspection committees to conductinspections of pre-selected MOI organizationsthroughout Iraq based on approvedinspection checklists. Additionally, the IG30March 2, 2007