The Ministry of Finance, with support from the European Union through the Nature Nourishes–State and Resilience Building Contract (SRBC) Project, implemented by LINPICO, has concluded a three-day training workshop for Stores and Inventory Officers.
The workshop, held from 31 August to 2 September 2026 at the Bintumani Conference Hall in Aberdeen, Freetown, focused on strengthening asset and inventory management across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Held under the theme, “From Records to Accountability: Strengthening Asset and Inventory Management in MDAs,” the training aimed to support the development of a National Fixed Asset Register and Inventory Master in line with international best practices.
The initiative is intended to strengthen the capacity of MDAs to properly identify, record, manage and report government assets, while improving accountability and transparency in the management of public resources.
Director of Stores and Inventory Control, Joseph Ngegba, said the training would contribute to the development of a National Fixed Asset Register, which he described as a cornerstone of the Government’s Medium-Term National Development Plan.
He said the workshop would help build a cadre of skilled officers capable of leading improvements in inventory control and asset management. Ngegba also expressed appreciation to the European Union for its support through the SRBC Project, implemented by LINPICO, noting that the technical assistance was crucial to advancing public financial management reforms.
Non-Key Experts on the SRBC Project, Thomas Williams and Fatorma S. Koroma, described the initiative as a critical component of Government’s efforts to strengthen public financial management and safeguard state property.
They noted that the absence of a unified and reliable asset register has historically created challenges in accountability and fiscal management, including concerns raised in Auditor General’s reports.
They stressed that the training goes beyond an administrative exercise, as it provides the foundation for establishing a comprehensive database of government assets, preventing the misuse of public property and promoting greater transparency and accountability in state asset management.
The workshop provided participants with both theoretical and practical knowledge on the national policy and reform context, the purpose and minimum data requirements of a Fixed Asset Register, asset recognition, supporting documentation, reporting thresholds, derecognition, and common control weaknesses and audit findings.
The knowledge and skills acquired are expected to improve the accuracy of government asset records, strengthen inventory controls, support better fiscal planning and decision-making, and reduce the risk of loss or misuse of public property.
The training therefore marks an important step towards establishing a modern, centralized and sustainable framework for managing government assets in line with proposed International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) requirements and international best practices.