Babadi Kamara Manages Leone Stars

Babadi – New Team Manager       See page 4

COI Recommendations, Audit Report Implemented Soon

Recommendations from the Commissions of Inquiry (COI) and the 2019 Audit Service Report will soon be implemented. This is according to the Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, Professor David Francis who spoke to this writer shortly after his arrival in Freetown from vacation past weekend.

He said the full implementation of the recommendations will soon start, while continuing to acknowledge the outstanding role of Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) in the scrutiny of public institutions on the use of public funds.

He confirmed the invaluable role of ASSL in scrutinizing public institutions in the use of public funds while recalling highlighting this invaluable role in the GTT Report submitted to President Bio.

The Chief said the New Direction led government of President Bio will support the full implementation of the recommendations, noting that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government are subjected to the Constitution, Acts of Parliament and Policies in the utilization of public funds.

Referencing the Public Financial Management Act of 2016, he said the Act is very clear on the role of Vote Controllers in managing public funds, adding that government ministers only provide strategic leadership to their ministries and do not sign cheques for the operations of any ministry.

He commended ASSL for producing and disseminating the 2019 Audit Report to the public and encouraged the general public to read and engage with the ASSL Report for their own edification and understanding of how public funds were expended and audited.

He however stated that persons or institutions culpable for the alleged misappropriation of funds will be held accountable as required by law and accountability institutions including the ACC and House of Parliament. He assured that the New Direction remains committed in the fight against corruption in Sierra Leone.