An Giang province has taken swift action to recover over 1 billion VND that was erroneously paid to 35 individuals who had resigned under the government's Decree 178. This decision was announced during a regular press briefing on September 16, where representatives from the An Giang Department of Home Affairs provided insights into the situation.

The province had received a total of 3,800 applications for benefits under the policy, and after careful review, it was determined that 3,263 of these applications were valid, accounting for nearly 86% of the total. While most cases were processed correctly, discrepancies were noted by the Department of Finance and the provincial Inspectorate, which revealed that 35 individuals had received excess payments totaling over 1 billion VND. In contrast, 26 other individuals were found to have received insufficient amounts.

According to the Department of Home Affairs, the discrepancies arose due to the expedited timeline for reviewing, approving, and disbursing funds between July 1 and August 30, 2025. In response to the overpayments, the Department of Finance collaborated with the Department of Home Affairs to advise the provincial People's Committee on adjusting the budget estimates, leading to the full recovery of the excess funds.

For the 26 individuals who were underpaid, the provincial People's Committee has requested guidance from the Ministry of Finance for additional support. However, as the payment deadline has now passed, the locality currently lacks the legal basis to allocate budgetary resources for the outstanding payments. Once the Ministry of Finance provides the necessary guidance, the relevant agencies will present the case to the provincial People's Committee for further action.

This review process occurs amid findings from the State Audit Office, which reported numerous errors in the implementation of the policy under Decree 178 across 10 provinces and four central agencies. Sample audit results indicated that errors occurred at various stages, including the selection of beneficiaries, application assessments, and the calculation and disbursement of benefits. Following these findings, the Ministry of Home Affairs has directed all ministries, sectors, and localities to thoroughly review all resolved cases, clarify the reasons for discrepancies, and implement corrective measures.