Navajo Times
Thursday, December 11, 2025

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Internal audit warns of leadership override, rising risks to Navajo ARPA dollars

WINDOW ROCK

A confidential audit memorandum delivered to the Navajo Nation Council and the Office of Ethics and Rules on Nov. 18 has become a pivotal warning about the government’s long-standing structural weaknesses that now threaten the Nation’s ability to manage the last of its American Rescue Plan Act dollars before time runs out.

The memo, titled “Fiscal Year 2024 Audit Issue,” outlines a compliance concern that surfaced after an anonymous tip alleging that President Buu Nygren directed the Navajo Engineering Construction Authority to repair the roof of a Crystal, New Mexico, resident. The work was initially billed to an ARPA-funded bathroom renovation contract, despite the individual not qualifying under the subrecipient agreement requirements.

To read the full article, please see the Nov. 20, 2025, edition of the Navajo Times.

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About The Author

Donovan Quintero

"Dii, Diné bi Naaltsoos wolyéhíígíí, ninaaltsoos át'é. Nihi cheii dóó nihi másání ádaaní: Nihi Diné Bizaad bił ninhi't'eelyá áádóó t'áá háadida nihizaad nihił ch'aawóle'lágo. Nihi bee haz'áanii at'é, nihisin at'é, nihi hózhǫ́ǫ́jí at'é, nihi 'ach'ą́ą́h naagééh at'é. Dilkǫǫho saad bee yájíłti', k'ídahoneezláo saad bee yájíłti', ą́ą́ chánahgo saad bee yájíłti', diits'a'go saad bee yájíłti', nabik'íyájíłti' baa yájíłti', bich'į' yájíłti', hach'į' yándaałti', diné k'ehgo bik'izhdiitįįh. This is the belief I do my best to follow when I am writing Diné-related stories and photographing our events, games and news. Ahxéhee', shik'éí dóó shidine'é." - Donovan Quintero, an award-winning Diné journalist, served as a photographer, reporter and as assistant editor of the Navajo Times until March 17, 2023.

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