By Sulaiman Jalloh

Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, Deputy Speaker of Parliament who doubles as the Chairman of Public Account Committee (PAC), on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, ordered the deduction of about Eleven Thousand Leones (NLe11,000), two-week suspension and demotion for Mr. Othaniel Lahai, a senior staff of Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) in Kenema. The ruling came after the committee found out that there was negligence on his part while probing 2021, 2022 audit reports at the administrative building in Parliament.

Reacting to the Chairman’s ruling, the Managing Director of SLRSA, Rev. Smart Senesie, said they will do an official correspondence to the PAC to clarify.

It could be recalled that, since Hon. Ibrahim Conteh ascended the position of Deputy Speaker, the PAC has recovered billions of Leones and garnished public servants and institution’s accounts. His recent ruling is not a surprise to many.

Before his ruling, the Deputy Speaker stated that, “I want to balance the Audit Report before I allow Members of Parliament to go for recess”. Despite Parliament has gone for two-month recess, Standing Order 70(d) of Parliament gives the Public Account Committee the power to examine any accounts or reports of statutory corporations and boards are laid in Parliament.