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The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament of Sierra Leone, chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has commenced its public hearings with local councils in the Eastern Region, including the Kenema City Council, Kenema District Council, and Kailahun District Council.
The sessions, held at the Kenema District Council Hall, responded to queries raised in the 2023 Auditor General’s Report.
In his opening remarks, Hon. Tawa Conteh reaffirmed the Committee’s constitutional oversight mandate to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.
He highlighted key concerns raised in the 2023 audit report, including tax exemptions, mining concessions, consultancy engagements, the malfunctioning Petra financial system, poor revenue mobilization, and failure to remit withholding taxes to the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
The Chairman stressed the need for strict adherence to prudent financial management practices by local councils, noting that effective accountability mechanisms are vital to strengthening public confidence in local governance.
Explaining the Committee’s mandate, Mr. Augustine Sesay, Head of Secretariat of the PAC and Deputy Director of Committees in Parliament, cited constitutional provisions and Standing Orders empowering the Committee to examine audited public accounts. He emphasized that the PAC plays a crucial role in ensuring public funds are utilized in accordance with the Auditor General’s recommendations.
During the hearings, the PAC examined various audit observations across the three councils. While some issues were satisfactorily addressed, others required further clarification or follow-up action by the Audit Service Sierra Leone.
The Committee also reached resolutions on key matters, including the need to regularize tax exemptions, strengthen revenue mobilization, improve the Petra system’s functionality, and ensure timely payment of withholding taxes.
The PAC further recommended the introduction of performance-based budgeting by 2024, urging councils to track revenue projections, allocations, and expenditures line by line. This model, the Committee noted, would serve as a benchmark for determining future government allocations to local councils.
The hearings mark the start of a nationwide engagement by the PAC with local government authorities, as Parliament continues to promote fiscal discipline, accountability, and transparency in public financial management across the country
