Parliament Raises Concerns Over Accountability Lapses At FCC

By John Kelly Marah

Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown | Monday, 15 June 2026

The Parliamentary Committee on Transparency and Accountability has raised serious concerns over financial management practices at the Freetown City Council (FCC), citing accountability lapses, inadequate documentation, and unresolved audit issues during an oversight engagement held at Parliament’s Administrative Building.

The committee, chaired by Ambross Maada Lebby, is mandated to investigate issues relating to compliance, financial management, procurement procedures, transparency, and accountability across government institutions and agencies.

During the hearing, FCC officials: the Deputy Council Administrator (C.A) and the financial officer (F.O), came under intense scrutiny from lawmakers after failing to provide satisfactory responses to several audit-related queries. Members of the Committee questioned why officials had appeared before Parliament without conducting a comprehensive review of the Auditor General’s Report and other relevant records.

Lawmakers emphasized that parliamentary oversight requires institutions to present accurate, evidence-based submissions supported by verifiable documentation.

Concerns were raised over repeated references to audit matters without corresponding records to substantiate claims made before the committee.

In response, the F.O said that the institution had not adequately prepared for the engagement.

“Honourable Members, we wish to render our sincere apology. Honestly, we did not do our homework well,” the official told the committee.

He acknowledged that a proper review of the 2023 Auditor General’s Report and supporting documents would have enabled the council to provide more comprehensive explanations and address the issues raised by lawmakers.

The official assured the committee that the council would revisit all outstanding audit queries, conduct a detailed review of relevant records, and submit evidence-based responses.

“We wish to assure this committee that we will go back, properly address these queries, and respond accordingly,” he added.

The hearing took a more critical turn when lawmakers examined issues relating to the use and subsequent refund of council funds. Members described the matter as a significant “red flag,” questioning the absence of expenditure records showing how public funds were utilized before being repaid.

One committee member observed that any new administration should have reviewed previous Auditor General’s Reports upon assuming office, and ensured that all outstanding audit concerns were properly addressed and documented.

FCC officials explained that the issue was identified during internal reviews and handover processes. They maintained that supporting documents existed, but were not presented because they believed the committee was only interested in confirmation that the money had been refunded to the council’s account.

However, lawmakers rejected that explanation, insisting that accountability extends beyond repayment and requires a full audit trail showing how public funds were used and under what authority.

“The essence of accountability is full disclosure of every financial transaction,” a committee member remarked, warning that the absence of documentation fuels suspicion and weakens public confidence in public institutions.

Officials further informed the committee that the funds had been temporarily diverted to address urgent sanitation challenges after workers threatened to halt operations due to delayed payments. According to the council, the money was subsequently refunded.

The explanation drew further scrutiny, after lawmakers established that the amount involved was reportedly less than a day’s revenue from market dues, which FCC officials indicated, averaged approximately Le17,000 per day.

Members of Parliament also questioned why the refund was only made in 2024 despite the transaction having occurred in 2023.

Several lawmakers suggested that the repayment appeared to have been prompted by findings in the Auditor General’s Report rather than by the council’s internal control mechanisms.

Concluding the session, the Parliamentary Committee on Transparency and Accountability stressed that public institutions must demonstrate proactive accountability through proper documentation, transparent financial management systems, and timely implementation of audit recommendations.

The committee reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that public resources are managed responsibly and that institutions entrusted with public funds remain fully accountable to Parliament and the people of Sierra Leone.