By Nasratu Kargbo
Despite revelations made in the Auditor -General’s Report regarding the huge sum of monies unaccounted for by the government, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has refused to investigate and bring those found culpable to book, said the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Abdul Kargbo.
Kargbo made this statement at their party’s maiden parliamentary press conference on the 29th May 2024.
He accused the ACC of not holding the current government to account, stating that the country has recorded its highest cash loss in 2022 in the sum of three hundred and twenty-five billion (325,000,000,000), old Leones, claiming that nothing has been done in that regard.
He quoted the Auditor- General’s Report, highlighting figures of monies unaccounted for by both parties whilst in governance. He said in 2018 one hundred and forty billion nine hundred million (140,900,000,000) old Leone was missing, whilst in 2019 and 2020 the monies lost amounted to one hundred and seventy-seven billion, six hundred million (177,600,000,000) and one hundred and fifty-three billion, nine hundred million (153,900,000,000) old Leone. He also claimed that in 2021 and 2022 they lost the sum of one hundred and eighty- seven billion three hundred million (187,300,000,000), and three hundred and twenty-five billion (325,000,000,000) old Leone, respectively.
He claimed when their party was in power, in 2014 the cash loss was one hundred and four billion (104,000,000,000), old Leone and that in 2015 and 2016 the monies accounted for amounted to seventy-five billion (75,000,000,000) old Leone and seventy-five billion, five hundred million old Leone (75,500,000,000) respectively, and in 2017 thirty-seven billion two hundred million (37,200,000,000) old Leone.
Comparing both governments’ losses, he claimed that what the current government lost in one year outweighs what they lost in five years.
He recalled that after the current government took office in 2018 many APC officials were arrested because their names were mentioned in the audit report, alleging when it is time to hold the current government to account the ACC has become dormant.
The Press Conference, according to Dr. Unpha Sorie Gbassay Koroma is the first in a series of press conferences they hope to be updating the public on happenings in parliament and the country as a whole.
He revealed that they will be inviting professionals and experts in the fields relating to their topic of discussion, noting that the experts will advise, suggest or make recommendations to the government on how to solve burning issues that are affecting the masses such as fuel, electricity, inflation and exchange rate amongst others.
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