State intends to introduce online invoicing for all its expenditure

Public spending is set to come under closer scrutiny as the Finance Ministry is making plans for all state expenditure to be carried out and screened online.

There will be electronic invoices for all public expenditure, with the aim being optimum control, so that the state knows exactly what is in its inventories, such as at hospitals, universities, and in terms of the equipment of all general government entities.

Sources say the government will first ask all state entities, including ministries, to draft full lists of their equipment (from office furniture to printer paper), their ongoing procurement contracts and orders in place, before the online invoicing can begin. This means that the State General Accounting Office will have a detailed picture of all state entities and corporations and the stock in their inventories. Each purchase or service contract will then...