By Shadrach Aziz Kamara
In a heated Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session, Chairman Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh sharply criticized the Ministry of Agriculture over the controversial leasing of combine harvesters and dryers to 14 private business entities that had previously defaulted on contract payments. The session revealed serious breaches in accountability, prompting threats of salary blocks and formal sanctions.
According to the 2023 Audit Report, on 27th July 2023, the Senior Permanent Secretary of the ministry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 14 defaulting private companies and proceeded to hand over additional farming equipment — including 51 combine harvesters and 94 dryers — worth USD $372,000 (over NLe 10 million equivalent) under the assumption that the companies would make periodic payments. However, there was no evidence to show that the payments were made.
Field verification teams also discovered that two combine harvesters meant for operators in Kenema were redirected to Bo without any formal authority or update to store records. The auditors concluded that the ministry’s failure to enforce repayments or properly document these transactions could deprive government coffers of much-needed revenue and reduce access to similar services for new beneficiaries.
The PAC Chairman described the ministry’s justification for handing over equipment to defaulters as “untenable.” “No financial institution would give credit to someone with an unpaid record, and yet we are doing this in government?” he questioned.
During the proceedings, Hon. Tawa Conteh demanded accountability from ministry officials, stating, “I will recommend that salaries be blocked until all the documentation is provided. No more free equipment without proper financial tracking. If you don’t submit the full and verified documentation of payments and approvals by tomorrow, I will write to the Accountant General and block the money.”
He further instructed that all outstanding payments claimed by the machinery operators be reviewed with precise documentation, and once validated, payments should be made directly into the Agricultural Mechanization account — not to individuals or operators.
PAC also flagged the lack of a debt recovery strategy. “Even if it’s 2 billion, I will block it. I’m not giving anything for free. We must clean the system before the next person comes in,” the Chairman emphasized.
In closing, Hon. Conteh gave a final ultimatum to the ministry: provide all supporting documents by the next day or risk a total freeze on the associated salaries and financial transactions. His call reflects growing frustration with mismanagement and a renewed drive to enhance public financial discipline and transparency in government institutions.
