By Mohamed Kamara
As the Sierra Leone Parliament enters its recess, the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) chaired by the resolute Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, is gearing up to continue its aggressive efforts to recover public funds. With the PAC hearings scheduled to resume on October 31st, heads of various institutions summoned by the committee are reportedly experiencing anxiety over the potential repercussions of their upcoming appearances.
Insiders from Parliament reveal that past practices allowed those who mismanaged public funds to escape accountability through backdoor arrangements and lobbying. However, the current atmosphere is markedly different. With Hon. Tawa Conteh leading the PAC, there is now a zero-tolerance stance on any attempts to bribe or negotiate for leniency. The prevailing mood has caused a palpable sense of fear among invitees, with reports indicating that many are troubled by the uncertainty of their professional futures.
Previously, assignment to the PAC was highly coveted among parliamentarians, often resulting in intense competition for committee seats. This time, however, the situation has changed. The PAC’s newfound commitment to transparency and accountability, spearheaded by Hon. Tawa, has made the position less attractive, as the opportunity for personal gain through bribery has been effectively eliminated.
Sources within Parliament express hope that this shift will set a precedent for other committees, thereby improving governance across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Hon. Tawa’s hardline approach is seen as a strategic move to circumvent the often lengthy and ineffective processes of further investigations, which frequently fail to result in prosecutions.
If this robust and uncompromising stance by the PAC is maintained, it is believed that the upcoming audit report may finally reflect a reduction in financial mismanagement within MDAs, thus restoring public confidence in the government’s handling of public funds.
