By Aminata Abu Bakarr Kamara
Forty-six auditors from the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) have completed a six-day intensive training programme supported by the European Union (EU), aimed at strengthening their report-writing skills and improving public-sector accountability.
The training, held at the Country Lodge Hotel in Freetown, focused on management letter report writing and was delivered under the EU-funded State and Resilience Building Contract (SBRC), managed by LINPICO, a consultancy firm providing technical assistance to strengthen Sierra Leone’s public financial management systems.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Auditor-General Abdul Aziz stressed the importance of quality audit reporting, describing audit reports as critical communication tools for Parliament, government institutions, development partners and the wider public.
He urged auditors to prioritise the quality and usefulness of their reports, noting that clear, evidence-based findings are essential to identifying weaknesses and promoting corrective action within public institutions.
Aziz highlighted five key elements that should underpin effective audit findings: criteria, condition, cause, consequence and actionable corrective measures. He said the approach would help auditors present findings clearly and provide government institutions with practical steps to address identified weaknesses.
Augustus Cole, EU Team Lead for the LINPICO project, said effective audit reporting is important in ensuring that weaknesses identified during audits translate into timely corrective measures.
Lead facilitator Rachel McKechnie also encouraged auditors to produce objective and context-rich reports, while avoiding ambiguous language that could make audit findings and recommendations difficult to understand or implement.
The training forms part of the EU’s broader support for public financial management reforms in Sierra Leone. Under the State and Resilience Building Contract, the EU has provided €65 million in budget support through the Nature Nourishes Programme, which seeks to strengthen resilience, protect the environment and improve educational outcomes.
The initiative also comes amid ongoing reforms at the Audit Service Sierra Leone under Auditor-General Abdul Aziz. Since assuming office, Aziz has overseen efforts to expand performance and compliance audits, strengthen citizen engagement and deepen collaboration with development partners.
In May 2026, Aziz was elected Vice Chairperson of the Governing Board of AFROSAI-E, the regional body representing English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions.
The latest training is expected to further strengthen the capacity of auditors to produce clear, credible and actionable reports, supporting efforts to improve transparency, accountability and the effective management of public resources in Sierra Leone.
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Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 19th August 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
