Sierra Leone’s parliamentary Sub-Appropriation Committee has sharply questioned the state-owned Sierra Leone Mines and Minerals Development Might Corporation (SLMMDMC) over its spending, procurement practices and foreign travel, as lawmakers intensified scrutiny of public finances during budget hearings.
The committee, chaired by Sallieu Osman Sesay, summoned senior officials of the corporation on Wednesday to account for its 2024 expenditures, staff costs, overseas trips and overall financial management. Officials who appeared before the panel included Executive Director Karifa Kargbo, the account manager, and the legal and human resources manager.
Kargbo told lawmakers that the corporation was still in its formative stage during the 2023–2024 financial year and had focused largely on securing a large-scale mining licence. He said progress made included completing feasibility studies on mineral resources, developing export routes, conducting environmental, social and health impact assessments, and obtaining a provisional mining licence from the Ministry of Mines.
He added that the corporation had undergone an external audit by the Auditor General’s Office and had submitted its 2026 operational and administrative budget to the Ministry of Finance, stressing that SLMMDMC was committed to accounting for all state resources allocated to it.
Lawmakers, however, raised concerns about the number and cost of overseas trips, particularly to China, South Africa and the United States. Officials confirmed that two high-level delegations travelled to China in 2024, with further trips in 2025, including attendance at the Mining Indaba in South Africa. Some delegations, they said, included officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Attorney General’s Office and the Ministry of Mines.
The committee demanded detailed documentation for all travel-related expenses, including payment breakdowns, electronic funds transfer numbers and bank statements.
MPs also questioned the procurement of three vehicles for the corporation, insisting on seeing supplier bids, evaluation reports and payment receipts. Kargbo said he deliberately avoided direct involvement in procurement decisions to prevent conflicts of interest but assured the committee that all documents would be provided.
Another contentious issue was the corporation’s decision to rent office space at the Chinese Estates in Aberdeen. MPs queried the cost-effectiveness of spending about 449 million leones on generator and utility services over two years. Kargbo defended the move, citing security concerns, better working conditions and what he described as the cheapest available option in Freetown.
During a page-by-page review of the corporation’s submissions, the committee identified inconsistencies, including incorrect quarterly allocations, missing documents, unclear cashbook references and formatting errors. MPs ordered SLMMDMC to correct the discrepancies and submit complete records, including updated receipts.
Lawmakers also questioned high administrative costs, board sitting fees and the lack of gender balance among staff. Officials acknowledged challenges in recruiting women for certain roles but pledged improvements in 2025.
Closing the session, Sesay gave the corporation until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday to submit all outstanding documents, including board minutes, procurement breakdowns and verification of payments, stressing the need for transparency and value for money in a newly established, state-funded entity.
By Feima Sesay
