During the Fifth sitting of the Public Accounts Committee in the Parliament of Sierra Leone with regards to queries raised in the Auditor General’s Report for 2023, the Auditors were on Monday 20/01/2025 given a freehand by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to verify 33 staff from the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) and report to the Public Accounts Committee on the number of staff that have been physically verified.
In the words of the Auditors, the physical verification of the numbered staff has been substantially resolved.
Consequently, the Public Accounts Committee has told the verified staff that the issue has been resolved and that they should go and continue to work for the Government of Sierra Leone.
Issues raised in the Auditor General’s Report, the Public Accounts Committee noted are inconclusive until they are heard and determined by the PAC. Therefore, the PAC stated that its work is an extension of the audit process before it could reach a logical conclusion. Following an order from the PAC, the staff in question have now been verified.
Regarding queries on the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, the Public Accounts Committee grilled officials from the said Ministry and expressed their dissatisfaction over its poor handling of stores at Kissy and the distribution of agricultural tools and implements to support the Government’s flagship programme, “feed salone”. Pictures of machines were displayed including harrowing, power tillers and combined harvesters, bought by Government but were never distributed and utilized for its intended purpose, thus a huge waste of government’s much needed resources.
The Public Accounts Committee has also ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to present three vehicles in question to Parliament on Wednesday 22/01/2025 for audit inspection and verification.
Credit : Parliamentary and Public Relations Department
Parliament of Sierra Leone.
Strengthening ties: Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to India embarks on diplomatic mission
Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the Republic of India has today Tuesday, 21st January 2025 arrived in Kochi, southern part of India, in continuation of efforts to bolster bilateral relations between Sierra Leone and India.
During the official working-visit, High Commissioner Rashid Sesay is expected to meet with various business stakeholders focusing on improving trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. He is also due to address and inaugurate an International Summit geared towards promoting tourism to enhance development.
Later on, the Sierra Leone Envoy will travel to New Delhi, capital of India to engage high-ranking Indian government officials, where he will discuss the existing ties between the two friendly nations and possible ways of strengthening collaboration in various fields of shared interests.
Additionally, the High Commissioner will meet and interact with Sierra Leonean students studying in various universities in India. He will seize the opportunity to engage authorities in the education sector in order to advance Sierra Leone’s human capital agenda.
It could be noted that India and Sierra Leone enjoy a historic friendship and the two countries have over the past decades collaborated in various fields, including education, healthcare delivery, trade and cultural exchanges. Trade and investments between the two countries have also increased exponentially in recent years.
Credit: Press attaché Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to India.
