Monrovia – Senator Amara Konneh, Chairman of the Public Accounts, Expenditure, and Audit Committee of the Liberian Senate, has issued a pointed demand for accountability following the recent absence of key government institutions from a crucial hearing.
Report by Gibson Gee, Contributor
His remarks were in response to the failure of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the Ministry of Health to attend the hearing on Wednesday, August 7, 2024. The session was part of the ongoing General Auditing Commission (GAC) compliance audit reports public accounts hearings.
Speaking at the ongoing hearings, Senator Konneh emphasized the necessity of full participation and accountability from all summoned institutions. “Hold yourself accountable if you don’t come to defend yourself,” he declared, highlighting the urgency for institutions to actively engage in the audit process and address any issues raised in the reports.
The August 7 hearing focused on the performance audit report of the Regulation of River Sand Mining Activities in Liberia for the period from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2021. The absence of key ministries during this session has raised concerns about their commitment to the audit process.
The Gbarpolu County Senator underscored the importance of adhering to legal audit procedures and stressed that non-compliance could have serious consequences. “We want to send a message that we need to coordinate as much as possible so that we follow the law on audits,” he said.
He warned that the failure of institutions to appear for their hearings might result in audit reports being forwarded directly to the executive branch without their input. “If you don’t come here and defend yourself or provide additional clarity, the committee will have no other choice but to take the reports in their totality and then forward them to the executive branch for action,” Konneh added.
The public accounts hearings are set to continue on Monday, August 12, 2024, with upcoming sessions addressing reports from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Ministry of Health, and the National Road Fund.
Konneh stressed that these hearings are essential for giving auditors due process to review management responses and any new information. “It will require some time and patience so that we give auditors due process to confirm what they have written as management responses or if there is new information,” he explained.
The Liberian Senate Public Accounts Committee Chair also acknowledged the critical role of civil society and the public in maintaining transparency throughout the audit process. “The law calls for this,” he affirmed. He reiterated that the committee aims to finalize and submit recommendations by the end of August, reinforcing the importance of institutional accountability and compliance with audit protocols.
According to Konneh, this process is vital for ensuring that government institutions meet their obligations and address any discrepancies identified in the audits.
Discussion about this post