Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has asked the State Auditto focus more on the management and arrangement of human resources during therestructuring of State-owned enterprises (SOE).

Speakingat a working session with the State Audit on January 17 on the restructuringand pricing of SOEs, the Deputy PM stressed the need to review the number ofemployees in State-run groups and corporations, pointing to redundant personnelas the reason of low labour productivity and poor business performance.

Hehighlighted the necessity to look at asset issue before equitisasion as well asthe use of land after equitisasion.

Equitisasionshould help the firms become strong groups with strong trademark andcompetitiveness domestically and globally, he stated, adding that the number ofSOEs can be reduced, but they must be stronger and more effective.

Herequested the State Audit to keep a close watch on pre-audit matters,especially State budget estimate, asking the agency to strictly implement thePolitburo’s Resolution 07 on the policy and solutions on the restructuring ofState budget, including measures to reform the method of making State budgetestimate.

DeputyPM Hue also asked the State Audit to make the thorough audit of investmentprojects, thus alerting State management agencies on any arising problems.

Accordingto a report of the State Audit on the implementation of the project on restructuringand pricing SOEs in the 2011-2015 period, 499 SOEs have been equitised,fulfilling 96 percent of target. Over 26.22 trillion VND (1.19 billion USD) ofState capital was divested, while 36.5 trillion VND (1.6 billion USD) wascollected.

Thereport also showed inaccuracy in the pricing and settling of financial issuesof seven SOEs before announcing their value, thus reducing the value ofState-owned assets and affecting the State interest.

The State Audit has also detected mistakes in defining prices of trademark,business advantages as well as financial investment, the value of landownership, fixed assets, and completed projects and works awaiting balancing.

Throughre-evaluating of assets, the agency found the value of State capital in sixSOEs rose by over 4.6 trillion VND (203 million USD).

Accordingto initial statistics in 2016, the State Audit processed 258 audit reports andproposed the settlement of nearly 40 trillion VND ( 1.77 billion USD).

Theoutcomes of audits have contributed significantly to the prevention and fightof corruption and wastefulness, while help fix loopholes in institution andpolicies.

At the working session, the State Audit also suggested a number of supplementsand amendments to regulations and policies to prevent loss of Stateresources.-VNA