By Shadrach Aziz Kamara
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has announced that the PAC has recovered over Fifty Billion Leones (Le50 billion) from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) since the commencement of hearings in May 2024. The disclosure was made on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, during the ongoing PAC hearings at the new Administrative Building in Parliament, Tower Hill, Freetown.
Hon. Conteh noted that while significant progress has been made, unresolved issues from the 2022 Audit Report still need to be addressed, particularly concerning corporation taxes and other cash loss matters highlighted by auditors. He expressed confidence that by the end of the year, PAC will have a clearer picture of the total amount recovered.
The PAC is collaborating with the World Bank’s Accountability Governance Service Delivery Program, especially since many councils have received substantial funding from the World Bank and the European Union (EU) for local projects and activities. Hon. Conteh emphasized that development partners expect these funds to be used strictly for their intended purposes and accounted for transparently.
One major concern raised by the Chairman involves asset documentation in several councils. He noted that these councils possess numerous assets capable of generating revenue, yet they fail to benefit financially. Instead, individuals are profiting from revenues collected, such as those from billboard advertisements, while the councils receive nothing.
Hon. Conteh advised council officials to familiarize themselves with the relevant legislation passed in Parliament to enhance accountability and transparency in their operations. He also highlighted issues related to performance audits, where payments were made externally for services that could have been provided internally, and where the Procurement Officer was unable to provide adequate documentation.
Looking forward, the PAC plans to focus on unresolved issues from the 2021/2022 audit reports and the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) extracts. Hon. Conteh stressed the importance of ministers responding promptly to audit reports, as it is the PAC’s responsibility to review financial statements once they have been audited, verified, and certified.
The PAC’s ongoing efforts, supported by the Speaker of the House, aim to ensure that ministerial questions and accountability are prioritized in the legislative process.
