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The Government Audit Committee and the Internal Audit Directorate of the Ministry of Finance have engaged the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) to discuss challenges surrounding the implementation of audit recommendations and their impact on Sierra Leone’s Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) ratings.
The meeting, held at Parliament, focused on strengthening collaboration between key accountability institutions to improve public financial management, enhance compliance with internal controls, and reduce wastage of public resources.
In his statement, Chairman of the Government Audit Committee, Dr. Claudius Williams Tucker, outlined the mandate of the committee, noting that it works closely with the Internal Audit Directorate to ensure the implementation of recommendations arising from both internal and external audits conducted across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Dr. Tucker identified the slow implementation of audit recommendations as one of the major challenges affecting the country’s PEFA ratings. He attributed the continued high number of audit findings reported by the Audit Service Sierra Leone to issues including delays in submitting supporting documents, breaches of established control procedures, and the failure to apply sanctions against individuals responsible for financial infractions.
He called for stronger collaboration with the PAC in addressing unresolved audit issues, including the development of software to automate the tracking and recording of audit findings, the introduction of Standard Operating Procedures, and increased monitoring of audit issues through the proposed system.
Responding on behalf of the PAC, Chairman Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh commended the Government Audit Committee for initiating the engagement and expressed the committee’s willingness to work together to minimise audit challenges in public institutions.
Hon. Tawa explained the role of the PAC and highlighted some of the challenges faced by the committee in executing its oversight responsibilities. However, he assured that the committee has strengthened its operations to ensure audit reports are processed and updated in a timely manner.
He disclosed that the PAC’s reports for the years 2021 to 2023 have been completed, while work is ongoing on the 2024 audit report.
The PAC Chairman expressed optimism that closer cooperation between both committees would help reduce recurring audit issues highlighted in reports by the Auditor General. He also encouraged regular engagements between the two institutions to improve accountability and transparency in public financial management.
The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing to maintain a stronger working relationship and provide mutual support in addressing audit concerns and strengthening oversight mechanisms.
