Parliament Halts Rent Allowance for 60 Civil Servants Over Audit Queries

Parliament Halts Rent Allowance for 60 Civil Servants Over Audit Queries

The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has announced the suspension of rent allowance payments for 60 civil servants. The decision follows concerns raised in the 2023 audit report and aims to address financial discrepancies flagged in the document.

Speaking on Monday, January 13, 2025, Hon. Tawa explained that the measure seeks to recover government funds from salaries and emoluments and to ensure accountability in public spending.

“The rent allowance is significant, and the government is preparing to start payments soon,” he said. “The PAC is mandated to ensure that public funds are recovered through appropriate channels.”

Hon. Tawa emphasized the committee’s strict approach this year, stating that no documents from government officials would be accepted unless they have been validated during the audit exercise.

The PAC has already made significant progress in recovering public funds. According to the Chairman, the committee recovered over 30 billion leones (Le30Bn) from businesses and institutions flagged in the 2021 and 2022 audit reports.

Citing Regulation 100 of the Public Financial Management Regulation, Hon. Tawa highlighted that unauthorized spending from donor or Consolidated Revenue Funds without valid payment vouchers is strictly prohibited.

“If I can garnish 11 accounts for previous audit reports, I see no reason why I won’t do the same for 2023,” he asserted.

The move underscores Parliament’s commitment to transparency and financial accountability, reinforcing the importance of safeguarding public resources.