The Inspector General’s Office alerted Colombian mayors and governors on Tuesday to the presence of false intermediaries who may steal emergency rainy season funds.
W Radio reported that the office has received information about these supposed intermediaries and engineers who offer to help local leaders, saying that only through them can requests for aid from Invias, the National Roadways Institute, and other national bodies be managed.
The inspector general warned mayors to avoid unnecessary contact with these intermediaries as it could lead to embezzlement and appropriation of funds, and requested the national government to contact mayors and governors directly so as to avoid the diversion of financial resources.
The Colombian government has allocated a budget of $2.46 billion to deal with the emergency caused by the severe rainy season. The money is destined for humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of roads, bridges and buildings affected by the heavy rains and swollen rivers.
