By Bockarie Kamara
The Chairman of the Public Account Committee (PAC) in Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, who doubles as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Wednesday 9th April 2025, orders Orange- Sierra Leone and other mobile network operators to submit their audited financial statements to PAC in Parliament.
According to the 2023 Auditors’ Report, Orange Owed Universal Access Development Fund NLe 8, 558, 998, and failed to pay, a reason Orange should submit its financial statements to the committee in seven days’ time.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh made this order during hearing on queries raised in the 2023, Auditor General’s report.
During the hearing, officials from the Universal Access Development Fund (UADF) state that Internet Service Providers and Mobile Network Operators, including Orange, owed UADF the said sum and are yet to pay.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh said that when they submit their audited financial statements, the committee would be able to know the actual calculations to deduct the actual sums that are payable to government as required by law.
He said that Orange and other mobile network operators submitted financial statements that are not audited, but they determine what is to be submited.
Hon. Tawa told UADF that they are going by the new NatCA Act, which gives power to UADF.
The Chairman of PAC rders all defaulting networks to appear before the committee for further explanation regarding why failed to submit their audited financial statements.
He said that nobody asked them to submit a summary of their financial statements; and that the law makes it clear that they should submit their audited financial statements; and it is from that they would be able to calculate their total income and calculate 0.75 of their total income as the amount payable to UADF.
