Government Inspectorate Exposes Multiple Violations in Four Ninh Binh Projects

Outstanding Debt Surpasses 1.9 Trillion VND

On November 21, the Government Inspectorate issued a conclusion report on the inspection of four projects facing difficulties and obstacles in Ninh Binh province. These include: the infrastructure development project for the Trang An Ecological Tourism Area; the component project for infrastructure development at Bai Dinh Pagoda Mountain; the project to renovate and upgrade the right bank dyke of the Day River from Km8+380 to Km32+400; and the construction project for Ninh Binh Provincial Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital.

Regarding the Trang An project, the inspection authority determined that the planning was overlapping and inconsistent; despite being a Group A project, it was not submitted to the Provincial People’s Council for discussion and resolution, nor was the adjusted basic design sent to the specialized management ministry for appraisal. When increasing the total investment, the Provincial People’s Committee incorrectly identified the entire funding as coming from the central budget without legal basis, leading to capital imbalances. In September 2025, the Ninh Binh Department of Tourism was forced to adjust and reduce the estimate by over 100 billion VND for various items.

For the Bai Dinh Pagoda Mountain infrastructure project, the Government Inspectorate concluded that land reclamation did not align with approved planning, lacked basic design appraisal, and failed to conduct an environmental impact assessment as required. Also in September, the Department of Tourism reduced the estimate by over 2.2 billion VND.

In the case of the right bank dyke of the Day River project, the Provincial People’s Committee approved and adjusted the project using government bond capital without obtaining central authority approval and without clarifying the capital structure. The project currently has outstanding construction debts exceeding 1.2 trillion VND. The investor has deducted nearly 50 billion VND following recommendations from the State Audit.

Regarding the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital project, the Provincial People’s Committee adjusted the project beyond the total investment without re-appraisal, approving the use of government bond capital without central approval or provincial council submission. The project has outstanding debts of over 794 billion VND, with deductions of more than 13 billion VND as per audit requirements.

Accountability and Potential Criminal Investigation Required

The Government Inspectorate asserts that responsibility for the violations and shortcomings lies with the Ninh Binh Provincial People’s Committee, its leadership across relevant periods, advisory departments, investors, and related organizations and individuals.

The Chief Government Inspector recommends the Prime Minister direct the Provincial People’s Committee to conduct a thorough review and assign responsibility within its authority or propose handling by competent authorities.

The Government Inspectorate mandates that if criminal violations are detected during implementation, the case must be immediately transferred to investigative agencies for legal processing.