The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Sierra Leone has uncovered significant lapses in financial accountability within the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL), raising fresh concerns about transparency in the management of public funds, especially those allocated for electoral operations.
During a recent hearing, Acting Chairman of the PAC, Hon. Paramount Chief Kargobai, revealed that substantial amounts spent by ECSL remain unverified due to missing or incomplete documentation. Among the most pressing concerns is the Le 3.6 billion reportedly spent by the Commission on fuel, motorbikes, and logistical support during the country’s recent elections. While ECSL has subsequently submitted fuel receipts amounting to Le 3,092,840,000 for verification, a residual Le 507,256,000 is still unaccounted for. The PAC emphasized that while there is no immediate allegation of misuse, the lack of full documentation severely hampers the audit process and leaves critical questions unanswered.
“We are not saying the funds were misused, but verification is key,” Hon. Kargobai noted, underscoring the importance of transparency in public financial management. He further stated that ECSL has been given a one-week deadline to submit the outstanding documents, after which the PAC will take further action. To expedite the process, the Committee has ordered that an auditor be assigned directly to the Commission to assist with the verification of expenditures.
In addition to the Le 507 million in unverified recent spending, the PAC also scrutinized longstanding financial concerns dating back to 2016. Impress funds totaling Le 7.9 billion were disbursed to district electoral offices across the country to support activities such as staff and police training, as well as voter awareness campaigns conducted during parliamentary and chieftaincy elections. While Le 7,447,039,000 of this amount has reportedly been retired with appropriate documentation, a balance of Le 520,249,000 remains pending retirement. ECSL officials claim that supporting documents for the remaining amount are stored separately and will be presented for review soon.
Further compounding the accountability issues is an additional Le 3 billion that ECSL says was spent on other unspecified electoral activities. However, only Le 2 billion of that amount has been supported with verifiable documentation. This leaves a funding gap of over Le 1 billion that the Commission has yet to adequately explain, deepening the concerns of the PAC and the broader public.
The PAC has reiterated that complete and timely documentation of expenditures is not a matter of choice but a statutory obligation that reinforces public trust in governance. Hon. Kargobai stressed that all public institutions, especially those overseeing critical national processes like elections, must uphold the highest standards of financial accountability.
“We want to track every expenditure,” he said. “Transparency and accountability are not optional — they are necessary.”
The Committee has called on ECSL and other government bodies to prioritize the timely retirement of public funds and to maintain meticulous records to facilitate seamless audits. The unfolding revelations have intensified scrutiny of ECSL’s financial practices and highlight the need for institutional reforms to ensure responsible management of public resources.