By Ilyasa Baa

The exemption of the Offices of the President, Vice President and the First Lady from the newly released 2021 Auditor Report published by the Acting Auditor General has exposed the country to ridicule internationally. This observation was recently made by the Executive Director of Forum of Sierra Leonean Youths Network, Thomas Pa Alie Babadie.

Babadie recently made the statement in an interview with a widely viewed online TV Channel Wi Yard during which he was asked to discuss findings of the Acting Auditor General’s 2021 Auditor Report.

The firebrand Civil Society activist described the 2021 Audit Report as: “Not fit for purpose, devilish and evil”, noting that there is something fishy about the report. He said the report exposes how people in the civil and public services spent the people’s moneys unlawfully.

“The report has identified pitfalls in the government,” he pointed out, adding that civil and public services are not strong enough to retire funds allocated to them from the Consolidated Revenue Fund to run the affairs of the State through Ministries, Departments and Agencies. He said the findings of the report with the billions of Leones and millions of United States Dollars that could not be accounted for, have the proclivity of damaging the country’s image.

He further described the President Julius Maada Bio-led government as one that has no respect for the Office of the Auditor General, saying the current Acting Auditor General has no business in that office. He called on the government to have respect for the position not to use square pegs in round holes like the Acting Auditor General who he said is being remote controlled by powerful people.

However, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Energy, Hon. Keikura Vandy, representing the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party at Constituency 088 in Bo district has referred to the 2021 Auditor Report as not the gospel truth by all indications.