By Shadrach Aziz Kamara
Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has raised serious concerns over the failed implementation of a multimillion-leone e-voucher and farmer management system project awarded to Niche Technologies SL Ltd by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Chairman has ordered immediate actions, including blocking payments, summoning parties involved, and initiating institutional reforms.
The controversy stems from a contract signed on 23rd August 2021, valued at NLe 2.6 million, for the development of a farmer database, input voucher system, and 24 months of maintenance support. According to the 2024 Audit Report, despite 80% of the payment (NLe 2,416,000) being made, key deliverables were not met even seven months after the contract’s completion. These include:
Failure to handover the e-voucher system to the Ministry.
Absence of user training for system administrators, voucher sponsors, banks, and stakeholders.
Non-submission of the operational manual and technical reports, including security, integrity, and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) results.
Lack of transfer of the source code, leaving the Ministry without control or ownership of the system.
In a tense PAC session, Hon. Tawa expressed disappointment and frustration:
“We are not going to allow another dime to be spent until these documents are submitted. The system was never properly handed over, and the Ministry is still awarding contracts to the same defaulters. This is a complete breakdown of accountability.”
He directed that Niche Technologies SL Ltd be summoned for a closed-door session (“in camera”) and warned that if the missing 5,664,000 NLe was not recovered immediately, he would block their account. The company had earlier claimed to have made payments, but swift transaction details revealed they only did so after being pressured by PAC.
Hon. Tawa also called for a freeze on interest penalties on defaulted loans given to agricultural machinery operators, urging that focus be shifted to recovering the core principal debt of over 32 billion NLe. If the recovery proves impossible, PAC may recommend writing off the remaining 10 billion NLe to allow the Ministry to free up operational capital and move forward.
Another key issue discussed was the outstanding 50% payment owed to machinery operators who had fully completed their contracts. PAC confirmed that the Ministry of Finance has approved these claims, and disbursement is now in process. Hon. Tawa noted:
“Operators executed 100% of the work and only received half the payment. If they are not paid, those who are still in the ministry will be held responsible — even in death. Bob Dylan died demanding his money. That injustice must be corrected.”
He further ordered that all future deductions from agriculture-related programs such as FIP and IVCP must be clearly documented and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) must be drawn up and signed by all parties involved, including the Clerk of Parliament, PAC, and the Ministry.
Finally, Hon. Tawa urged engagement with the Ministry of Finance to release withheld operational funds and impasse-related allowances to avoid a collapse of the Ministry’s ongoing programs.
The PAC’s intervention signals a broader crackdown on misuse of public funds and ineffective contracts in key sectors, with an emphasis on accountability, performance, and fiscal responsibility as the country heads into a new farming season.
