By Sulaiman Jalloh
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh
Deputy Speaker of Parliament who doubles as the Chairman of the Public Account Committee (PAC), Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh has, on Monday 12th August, 2024, during the ongoing Audit queries, ordered the accounts of certain taxpayers to be garnished for failing to appear before Parliament.
It could be called that the PAC recently summoned forty-one business entities to appear before the Committee on Monday 12th August, 2024 in order to answer to Audit queries but certain entities failed to show up.
The Chairman, in his ruling, said that those businesses that appeared before the Committee were given a time line of 24 hours to complete their arrears, and the Committee will issue a blanket letter to the banks for those that have resolved with NRA. The Deputy Speaker however stated that, “For those that did not appear today before the Committee let us send the garnish request from NRA to the banks for updates on their accounts, because we have to follow due process.” He reiterated that inasmuch as the Committee wanted to collect money, due process must be followed with a definite timeline.
The PAC Chairman maintained that the Committee will give time to the businesses that honoured and respected Parliament and NRA, but for those that deliberately failed to appear before the Committee, action will be taken against them which is ‘garnishment of accounts.’ “Let us send the notice, and their banks will inform them,” he stated, noting the first notice is to get an update of not to withdraw money as enshrined the PFM Act.
According to political observers, the action of Parliament has set tongues wagging as they opined that the action to garnish bank accounts should first go through competent court of law.
