Joint Parliamentary Oversight Committees, including Finance, Public Accounts, Transparency, Education, and Legislative Committees, held a budget engagement with the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) at the Speaker’s Conference Room in Parliament. The meeting was convened to scrutinize the ASSL’s proposed 2026 budget, in line with statutory requirements supporting the institution’s financial autonomy.
Chairman of the Finance Committee, Hon. Francis Kai-Samba, opened the session by stressing the importance of the ASSL’s work and the need for its financial independence to effectively carry out its mandate.
Deputy Auditor General for Finance and Corporate Services, Mr. Selvin W. E. Bell, presented the ASSL’s strategic priorities for 2026, which include institutional strengthening, enhanced audit coverage, support for civil society oversight, and greater collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Mr. Bell proposed a 2026 budget of Le 137.4 million, up from Le 16.1 million in 2025. He reported a 73% audit coverage rate in both 2024 and 2025 and highlighted several audit reports submitted to Parliament, covering key sectors such as agriculture, education, youth empowerment, and disaster risk management.
He also referenced the Audit Service (Amendment) Act of 2023 and the 2024 Regulations, which reinforce the need for budget approval by Parliament to maintain the ASSL’s independence, as outlined in Section 28 (1) and Regulation 64 (1–3).
MPs raised various concerns during the session. Hon. Sulaiman Marry-Conteh asked about outstanding payments for the new ASSL headquarters, while Hon. Mustapha Sellu and Hon. Aruna Aaron Koroma requested clarity on budget lines and alignment with national policies.
The Auditor General, Mr. Aziz, addressed questions from MPs, while representatives from civil society, the media, and the Ministry of Finance were also present.
