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The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has directed several staff members of the Ministry of Health (MoH) to refund salaries they received while absent from duty without proper justification.
Awoko reports that the decision came during a recent hearing following revelations in the 2023 Auditor General’s report, which uncovered payments to employees who were not verified as present during routine checks.
PAC Chairman, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, stressed that the issue was not just about verification but habitual absenteeism. “This is about people receiving taxpayers’ money for work they didn’t show up to do,” he stated.
The committee cited specific cases, including Sulaiman Forray Musa, Mohamed Conteh—who reportedly received NLe 29,000—and Hannah Y. Kanu, paid NLe 27,000, all of whom were unaccounted for during verification.
The MoH’s internal auditor argued that some absent staff were on official assignments abroad, including in China. However, it was confirmed that Mohamed Conteh did not travel. Although he was reportedly present in Parliament on the verification day, he failed to sign the attendance register. The auditor requested another chance for Conteh to validate his presence, but the PAC rejected the appeal.
“If he failed to account for his presence at the right time, then the payment is unjustified,” Hon. Conteh said. “All such salaries must be refunded to the state.”
In a related matter, the PAC questioned the recruitment of new nurses after Dr. Kargbo of the MoH admitted that new hires had been made but could not provide their names. The ministry’s Human Resource Manager claimed she was unaware of the recruitment, as it occurred before her tenure. The committee has deferred its decision pending a full report from the HR department.
The hearings are part of PAC’s broader efforts to ensure accountability in public institutions. “We will not relent in our oversight duties,” Hon. Conteh declared. “The people of Sierra Leone deserve a public service that is efficient, honest, and accountable.”
This is actually closer to home of Hon. Tawa Conteh. The MPs being paid by our monies are hardly in Parliament during hearings. They should refund in full also.