By Sulaiman Jalloh
The parliamentary Public Account Committee (PAC), chaired by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Honorable Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, on Friday, March 7, 2025, ordered the Ministry of Basic Secondary School Education (MBSSE) to present sixteen (16) motorbikes for verification by the committee.
The order was made during a hearing conducted by the Committee while dealing with the 2023, Audit report. The Public Account Committee is responsible for dealing with queries every year, and in recent times, the committee has been very effective.
According to the 2023 Audit Report, the said vehicles were not available for inspection by auditors.
“We conducted physical verification of vehicles and motorbikes owned and controlled by the Ministry. Despite repeated requests, two vehicles and 18 motorbikes recorded in the fleet register were not made available for inspection.
The vehicles and motorbikes not made available for physical verification could have been converted into personal use without being detected” Auditors raised. They however claimed that the Assistance Secretary
In charge of fleet management should ensure that the two vehicles and 18 motorbikes are made available to Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL).
During the hearing, honorable Aaron Aruna Koroma, deputy leader 2 of the opposition in Parliament representing the people of Tonkolilli district, said the Permanent Secretary could have ensured that the items were available for physical verification.
Brima Sowa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary School Education, justified that the vehicles were assigned to the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education during the time of the audit, adding one of the vehicles was with one of the contractors and the person was within Freetown something honorable Aaron said should not be.
However, the ministry responded to the auditors by saying “The vehicles and motorbikes in question are available for your verification”.
Auditors commented that “Only two out of the 18 motorbikes were made available for physical verification, leaving the two vehicles with 16 motorbikes not available to the ASSL”, saying the issue remains unresolved.
“Hon. Members, I want to recommend or order one of the two vehicles in question. The committee, of course, would propose a short date for the verification of these two vehicles. And two, these motorbikes be made available for inspection on or before Wednesday, 12 March 2025” Hon. Aaron ruled. He empathized that if they are not made available for physical verification, the Committee would be left with no option but to evoke certain sections and do the needful in like with the Law.