The deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Solomon Sengepoh Thomas who also doubles as Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Parliament has issued out stern warning to auditors of Audit Service Sierra Leone who are in the habit of receiving extra documents from Ministries, Departments and Agencies after publication of the Auditor’s General Report.

Hon. Solomon Sengepoh Thomas issued out this stern warning on Monday 1st April 2019 at the committee’s public hearing in the Makeni City Council Hall on the Auditor General’s Report for the fiscal year 2017. “Auditors should not receive any other documents from MDAs as long as the Auditor General’s Report is out,” he warned, noting that, when members of the committee (PAC) visit MDAs in the provinces next year, they would descend heavily on defaulters.

The deputy Speaker expressed dismay over the way and manner certain members in MDAs have woefully failed over the years to put their records intact.

“This is extremely unfair to the country,” he said, adding that, he would ensure that the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) is fully involved in their oversight function in the future. “When tax payers monies are given to MDAs they should fight tooth and nail in ensuring that all the documents are available for auditing purpose. “PAC will not tolerate some of these excuses,” he affirmed, pointing out that, some of the MDAs deliberately cooked figures. He made it categorically clear that, whenever certain MDAs are found wanting, they shift the blame squarely on error even though it was a deliberate ploy.

The following MDAs were scrutinized; Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Bombali District, Tonkolili District Council, Government Hospital Tonkolili District, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Kambia District, while others were deferred to 2nd and 15th April 2019. The Committee will continue its hearing in Bo and Kenema Districts respectively.