By: Aminata Sesay
The Government Audit Committee (GAC) and the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) have agreed to strengthen their collaboration to address persistent audit queries, improve compliance with audit recommendations and enhance accountability in the management of public resources.
The commitment was made during a high-level engagement at Parliament, where members of both committees reviewed challenges affecting the implementation of audit recommendations and discussed measures to improve Sierra Leone’s Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) performance.
Chairman of the Government Audit Committee, Dr. Claudius Williams Tucker, identified the poor implementation of audit recommendations as one of the major challenges undermining efforts to strengthen public financial management.
According to Dr. Tucker, recurring issues such as delays in submitting supporting documentation, breaches of established financial management and control procedures, and the failure to take disciplinary action against officials responsible for financial irregularities continue to contribute to the high number of audit findings reported annually by the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL).
He explained that the Government Audit Committee works closely with the Internal Audit Directorate at the Ministry of Finance to ensure that recommendations from both internal and external audits are implemented. However, he emphasized that stronger enforcement mechanisms and greater institutional commitment are needed to achieve lasting improvements.
Dr. Tucker called for closer collaboration with the Parliamentary Accounts Committee, including support for the introduction of an automated audit tracking system to monitor the implementation of audit recommendations. He also advocated for the adoption of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to strengthen follow-up mechanisms and improve the overall audit monitoring process.
He further encouraged the PAC to utilize the proposed system to track outstanding audit issues, monitor compliance and ensure that institutions take timely corrective action.
Responding on behalf of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee, its Chairman, Hon. Tawa Conteh, welcomed the engagement and described it as an important step towards strengthening public sector accountability and reducing recurring audit issues across government institutions.
Hon. Conteh reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to working closely with the Government Audit Committee to address the concerns consistently highlighted in the reports of the Auditor General.
He noted that the Parliamentary Accounts Committee has intensified its oversight responsibilities and made significant progress in reviewing outstanding audit reports. According to him, the Committee has completed its reports covering the 2021, 2022 and 2023 financial years, while work is currently underway on the 2024 Auditor General’s Report.
The PAC Chairman also underscored the importance of sustained engagement between the two committees, emphasizing that regular collaboration would strengthen parliamentary oversight, improve compliance with public financial management regulations and reduce the wastage and misuse of public funds.
The meeting concluded with both committees reaffirming their commitment to maintaining close coordination and providing mutual support to strengthen Sierra Leone’s public financial management systems, enhance transparency and promote greater accountability in the use of public resources.