A significant solar power project intended to safeguard Sierra Leone’s critical electoral systems has failed and remains unused, according to the country’s 2024 Auditor General’s report.

The project, funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Sierra Leone, installed hundreds of solar panels at the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) headquarters and a Wellington warehouse. The goal was to provide reliable backup power for servers and essential IT systems during the country’s frequent electricity cuts.

Auditors, however, found the systems completely non-operational. The report cited “compatibility issues between the plants and the batteries-to-panel ratio, and possible power leakages in the connections.” It concluded the installations have “not achieved their intended purpose.”

The audit also revealed severe discrepancies in the Commission’s inventory management. While a physical count located 1,673 laptops, the ECSL’s official Asset Tiger system logged only 432—a shortage of 1,241 machines. Similarly, records for solar-powered generators were off by hundreds, with 818 listed against 1,251 actually counted.

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In response to the audit, ECSL management stated they had updated records for over 1,000 solar panels, generators, and laptops. Auditors verified this claim and found the discrepancies persist, with 344 generators still unaccounted for in the system. They noted, “Therefore, the issue remains unresolved.”

The report urges the ECSL’s Executive Secretary to hire certified experts to repair the solar systems and directs the Director of Administration to fully reconcile the asset records.

The findings raise concerns about public asset management and operational readiness at the electoral body as it prepares for future polls.