By Elizabeth Kamara and Frank Jones
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Sierra Leone’s Parliament has issued a stern seven-day ultimatum to major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), demanding the immediate submission of their audited financial statements.
The directive was handed down on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, during ongoing public hearings on findings from the 2023 Auditor General’s Report. The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker of Parliament and PAC Chairman, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, focused on the operations of the Universal Access Development Fund (UADF).
The PAC is requiring audited financial disclosures from Orange, Africell, Qcell, Zoodlabs, Metro Cable, and K3—companies that have benefited from or interacted with the UADF. The Fund, established by an Act of Parliament, is intended to expand access to mobile and internet services in underserved and remote rural communities.
According to the Committee, these companies are legally obligated to submit documents upon request during the execution of Parliament’s oversight duties. Any failure to comply is considered an act of contempt against Parliament.
The PAC stated that once the financial statements are submitted, the necessary calculations will be made to determine the actual amounts owed to the government under the applicable laws and agreements.
All summoned companies are expected to appear before the PAC on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. in the Parliament Building, with their audited reports in hand. The Committee made allowances for the upcoming Easter holidays in setting the date.
This development signals Parliament’s intensified push for transparency and accountability in the telecommunications and technology sectors, especially in relation to public funds managed through the UADF.
