Sierra Leone’s parliamentary watchdog says it has recovered more than NLe 24 million in public funds following scrutiny of the government’s 2023 audit report.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), announced that the Committee secured domestic recoveries totalling NLe 24,025,499.86 from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) during public hearings on the 2023 Auditor-General’s Report.
Conteh made the disclosure while presiding as Acting Speaker after the PAC report was tabled in Parliament on 17 January 2026 by Deputy PAC Chairman, Hon. PC Desmond Kargobai.
According to Conteh, the recovered funds have been paid into government-designated accounts. He also confirmed that the Committee facilitated the settlement of a USD 760,000 royalty payment owed to the Government of Sierra Leone by Zoodlabs, linked to the management of the country’s fibre landing station.
The PAC chair said more than 60 percent of audit queries raised against MDAs were either fully resolved or substantially addressed during the hearings. For local councils, he reported that 34 audit issues, representing 42 percent, were fully resolved, following documentary submissions, corrective measures, and compliance by council management teams.
Public hearings on the Auditor-General’s Report are a central pillar of parliamentary oversight in Sierra Leone, where MDAs and councils are summoned to account for financial irregularities flagged in annual audits.
Conteh attributed the recoveries to what he described as a deliberate and coordinated strategy, with the PAC working alongside Parliament’s Finance Committee and the Transparency and Accountability Committee. He urged the two committees to continue engagement on outstanding matters and to present follow-up reports on negotiated settlements, stressing that parliamentary values must translate into tangible improvements in public financial management and service delivery.
He also thanked Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas, parliamentary leadership, and PAC members for their support during the oversight process.
Conteh said the outcomes demonstrate the Sixth Parliament’s commitment to accountability and fiscal discipline, adding that the PAC reports provide a comprehensive assessment of financial performance across MDAs and local councils, while identifying systemic weaknesses requiring corrective action.
In a country where audit findings have often highlighted weak controls and delayed compliance, the scale of the reported recoveries may strengthen public confidence in Parliament’s oversight role, though sustained follow-up will likely determine whether the reforms endure beyond the hearings.
