The 2022 Auditor General’s Report has unveiled alarming instances of financial mismanagement within various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Sierra Leonean government, sparking significant concern during a recent parliamentary session.

According to the report, multiple MDAs, including pivotal entities such as the Ministries of Energy, Defence, Health and Sanitation, were found to have collectively disbursed a staggering thirty-three million, four thousand, seven hundred and thirty Leones, seventy-six cents (33,004,730.76) without proper documentation, such as essential vouchers and receipts. This revelation has raised profound worries about accountability and adherence to financial regulations mandated under the Public Financial Management Act of 2016.

Deputy Speaker Ibrahim Tawa Conteh expressed deep dismay over the absence of critical documents, stressing that the lack thereof impedes efforts to ascertain the precise purposes behind these expenditures. “Without the original records and documentation, it is exceedingly challenging to verify how public funds have been utilized,” highlighted the report.

In response to these troubling findings, Parliament has committed to holding MDAs accountable for their financial conduct and ensuring stricter adherence to transparency standards.

The Deputy Speaker underscored the critical need for MDAs to maintain meticulous records that comprehensively detail expenditures, thereby fortifying mechanisms against potential financial mismanagement during future audits.