By Amin Kef (Ranger)
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has announced that the Committee secured total domestic recoveries amounting to NLe 24,025,499.86 from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) during its public hearings on the 2023 Auditor-General’s Report.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh made the disclosure on Tuesday, 17 January 2026, while presiding as Acting Speaker of Parliament following the tabling of the PAC Reports by the Committee’s Deputy Chairman, Hon. PC Desmond Kargobai. The announcement marked a significant milestone in Parliament’s oversight efforts aimed at strengthening accountability and safeguarding public funds.
According to the Deputy Speaker, the recoveries were paid directly into Government-designated accounts as a result of rigorous scrutiny and enforcement actions undertaken by the Committee during its review process. He further revealed that the PAC facilitated the resolution of outstanding obligations owed to the Government of Sierra Leone, including a USD 760,000 royalty settlement from Zoodlabs relating to the management of the national fibre landing station.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh noted that beyond the financial recoveries, the Committee achieved notable progress in addressing audit findings across MDAs. He stated that more than sixty percent of the audit issues examined during the hearings were either fully resolved or substantially resolved through corrective actions and compliance measures implemented by the affected institutions.
With regard to Local Councils, he disclosed that thirty-four audit issues, representing 42 percent of the matters reviewed, were fully resolved following documentary submissions, management responses and remedial steps taken by council authorities.
Describing the outcome as a demonstration of effective parliamentary oversight, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh commended Members of the Public Accounts Committee for what he termed an outstanding performance by the Sixth Parliament in enforcing financial discipline and recovering public funds. He emphasized that the success of the PAC process was rooted in deliberate collaboration among parliamentary oversight bodies, particularly the Finance Committee and the Transparency and Accountability Committee.
He urged the Finance Committee and the Transparency and Accountability Committee to sustain engagement on outstanding matters and to produce detailed reports on negotiated settlements to ensure full compliance. According to him, the values and ethos of the Sixth Parliament must translate into measurable improvements in public financial management and enhanced service delivery for citizens.
The Deputy Speaker also expressed appreciation to the Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas, the leadership of Parliament, Honourable Members and members of the PAC for their support throughout the oversight exercise.
He underscored that the public hearings on the 2023 Auditor-General’s Report reaffirm Parliament’s constitutional mandate to hold public institutions accountable. The PAC Reports, he added, provide a comprehensive assessment of the financial performance of MDAs and Local Councils, while identifying systemic weaknesses requiring corrective action.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh concluded that the Committee’s work reflects the Sixth Parliament’s firm commitment to transparency, accountability and sound public financial management in pursuit of national development objectives.
