In an official public notice released yesterday, the Office of the Acting Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament has informed the public that, in accordance with the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone and SO 70(5), the Auditor General’s Report for the year 2022 was presented to Parliament on December 19, 2023.
Quoting subsection 4 of section 119 of the Constitution, the notice highlighted that “The Auditor-General shall within twelve months of the immediately preceding financial year, submit his report to Parliament and shall in that report draw attention to any irregularities in the accounts audited and to any other matter which in his opinion ought to be brought to the notice of Parliament.”
Parliament emphasized that the Report has been assigned to the Public Accounts Committee for thorough investigations, public hearings, and recommendations, ensuring transparency and accountability. Parliament assured the public that the investigation will be concluded within two months of the notice.
The notice reiterated that the Auditor General’s Report is Parliament’s property, cautioning individuals and institutions against premature actions.
“Persons and institutions who intend to complement Parliament’s mandate in holding auditees accountable are advised to wait on the outcome of the parliamentary processes and procedure. It will be contemptuous if this order is violated,” stated the notice.
In the concluding remarks, auditees were urged to be prepared for parliamentary summons, emphasizing a prompt response to the forthcoming proceedings.
