By Alusine Fullah

The Audit Service Sierra Leone, which upholds the statutory obligation of unearthing the dubious activities that are enshrined within the public sectors, has through its recent report implicated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs And International Cooperation on the issue of distribution of donated vehicles. According to the Audit Report, the republic of China donated 12 vehicles to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but only 8 were distributed to various MDAs. According to the auditors the Ministry retained. The report states:

On 4th April 2022, the Ministry received 12 vehicles (10 SUVs and two mini buses) as donations from the Government of the People’s Republic of China. We observed that eight vehicles were distributed to various MDAs as reported on the Ministry’s website on 5th April 2022, whilst the Ministry retained four. However, needs-assessments and the signed distribution list were not provided for inspection. The Director General and Ambassador-at-Large should ensure that evidence of the distribution of the donated vehicles is submitted to the ASSL. Otherwise, the eight vehicles should be fully brought to account…The ministry officially responded “The distribution list is now available for audit inspection and verification.” However, the auditor comments that neither a distribution list nor the eight vehicles were submitted for audit inspection. The issue remains unresolved.

Also, going through the Audit Report, it has come to the limelight that the ministry made an ineligible payment of child and education allowances to nine foreign mission staff. The Audit Report review of those payments revealed that allowances totalling US$16,900, £4,746.06, €9,038.7 was paid to nine foreign mission staff. The report states:

Ineligible Payment of Child and Education Allowances Rule 9.23 of the Civil Service Code, Regulations and Rules, 2011 guided the payment of school fees for dependent children attending school at the mission up to age 18. Our review of payment of child and education allowances to foreign mission staff revealed the following:  Child and education allowances totalling US$16,900, £4,746.06 and €9,038.7 were paid to nine foreign mission staff, even though the birth certificates of these children indicated that they were above 18 years…Amounts totalling US$8,450 and €20,487.72 were paid to four foreign mission staff for child and education allowances, but evidence such as birth certificates and copies of passports were missing in the staff personal files.

The report has recommended that the Director of Administration and Finance should ensure that the amounts are recovered from the staff and paid into the CF. Additionally, birth certificates and copies of passports should be submitted for children for whom US$8,450 and €20,487.72 were paid as child and education allowances. Otherwise, the amounts should be recovered and paid into the CF.

However, the ministry responded that “The Director General and Ambassador-at-Large stated that the birth certificates are now available for audit inspection…”

The editors commented on the foregoing official response by the ministry that there was no evidence of recovery and repayment of the queried amounts into the CF in respect of payments for the child and education allowances for children over 18 years. Additionally, the report further stated that no birth certificates and copies of passports were submitted for the children of the four staff that were paid the child and education allowances. The issues remain unresolved.