Honorable Segepoh Solomon Thomas, the deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has told Mayors, Chairmen and core staff of Councils in the Southern Region that they must present themselves to Parliament whenever they are summoned to do so, except they “are sick, hospitalized or to attend a cabinet-subcommittee”.
His comment came following public hearings on outstanding issues in the Auditor General’s Report of 2018.
He admonished officials of the Bo District Council that it is very serious for auditees to account for resources that had been disbursed for the development of their localities.
“Money matters are serious matters and…excuses are intolerable when it comes to accountability,” Hon Segepoh said, when he informed auditees that they had been invited to give account of their stewardship.
The PAC had ordered the Bo City Council to pay NASSIT deductions for its staff to the tune of Le25,238.344 not later than 12:00 noon on Tuesday September 08, 2020, and submit the receipt to PAC for verification by Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL). For staff benefits amounting to over Le 2 billion, the Committee had spoken on the need for trade-offs with Central Government regarding its property and to engage further for consideration in the next national budget.
The PAC had also directed Bo City Council to refund Le21,050,000 to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) as payment of sitting fees to Councillors who have not been attending Council meetings without valid excuses, not later than Friday September 11, 2020, and submit the receipt to PAC for verification by ASSL.
The PAC had also asked Bonthe Municipal Council to refund Le 9,440,000 to the CRF as payment to Councillors who have not been attending Council meetings. The Council will be summoned to Freetown on a later date to be communicated by the Committee.
He cautioned them against volunteerism and presentation of forged documents under oath, which he said constitutes the crime of perjury and indictable by law with a maximum imprisonment of seven years; whilst speaking on the rights of the citizens of Sierra Leone.
He noted that Mayors and Chairmen deal directly with funds, and advised essential staff of Councils to demand written instructions and keep those instructions in private files for auditing purpose; saying since independence the country had been operating in circles in terms of development.
For a plethora of queries on Bo District Council including discrepancies in two financial statements amounting to Le106,816,057.00, the PAC had ordered the said Council together with its Chairman and core staff to put all the documents together and go to Freetown on a date that will be communicated or risks paying all the monies themselves.
10/09/2020 ISSUE NO: 7905