By Crispina Taylor
Officials of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Monday appeared before the Public Accounts Committee, PAC, to explain about a missing Le1.6 billion.
The Committee is probing the ministry in line with the 2014 Audit report which indicated that over Le1billion was not adequately accounted for.
The report stated that the ministry did not produce adequate details for the following areas: retirement, divisional director for livestock, agricultural extension services, chief agriculture officer, all received monies for standing impress to which adequate documents were not produced during the time of audit.
According to Audit Service Sierra Leone, there were documents to prove that the director for livestock, Sorie Mohamed Kamara, received Le39million and Le28million for special impress. Permanent Secretary Edward Kargbo, the same documents showed, received Le81million, Le5million and Le81million. Director of agricultural extension services, Bakarr Bangura, received Le148million, Le993 million and Le108million. Chief agriculture officer, Francis Kamara, received Le50million, while director of agricultural engineering, Sheku Tejan Kamara, received a total of Le12, million.
However, they all claimed they did not receive such monies and later said they submitted detailed documents on how the monies were used to the internal auditor. But the said documents were not available during the audit exercise.
Deputy chairman of public accounts committee, Komba Koedoyoma, said he was disappointed in the ministry.
“This is something that is not new and it is very annoying for a very big ministry like agriculture, and directors can’t account for funds allocated to them to do their work,” he said, adding that he got very angry when ministries carried out expenditures without supporting documents and were not able to give account for such expenditures.
Procurement procedures were also allegedly breached by the ministry which did not follow due process as indicated in the audit reports. The committee asked that the ministry through its permanent secretary and all other individuals who had to account for monies to supply the documents to the audit service and the committee on Wednesday13 April, 2016.
Permanent secretary of the ministry, Edward Kargbo, explained that the monies that were given to him as special impress were disbursed for recruitment of new staff. But the report stated that monies were received but that the ministry officials did not produce receipt and invoices.
(C) Politico 13/04/16
