Sierra Leone Telegraph: 22 July 2023:
Its over eighteen months ago since President Bio unconstitutionally sacked the country’s Auditor General – Lara Taylor Pearce after she published a litany of evidence showing serious financial mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds across State House and various government ministries.
Instead of treating the Auditor General’s report with the utmost respect and seriousness it deserved, President Bio sought to replace Mrs Lara Taylor Pearce with one of his incompetent cronies to run the Office of Auditor General.
Not satisfied with sacking Lara Taylor Pearce, President Bio established an investigation committee of Judges to investigate bogus allegations of impropriety and professional misconduct claimed to have been committed by Lara Taylor Pearce.
After almost two years not a single shred of evidence of impropriety has been found by the committee to indict Lara Taylor Pearce.
Now there are calls for the reinstatement of Lara Taylor Pearce, though it is highly unlikely she would want to return to her job to serve a President who has shown he cannot be trusted with the management of the affairs of State – a President who is systematically eroding the country’s systems of accountability, transparency, democracy and rule of law.
Yesterday, Sierra Eye published this appeal:
As the President makes new appointments, it is essential to highlight the urgent need for the reinstatement of Lara Taylor-Pearce, the Auditor-General of Sierra Leone, and one of her deputies, Tamba Momoh. Their suspension, which has persisted for over 18 months, raises concerns about the government’s commitment to public accountability and good governance.
We must advocate for their reinstatement, emphasizing the importance of transparency, justice, and an effective Auditor-General in promoting responsible governance.
The suspension of Lara Taylor-Pearce and Tamba Momoh raised eyebrows and questions regarding compliance with the provisions of section 137 of the Constitution. Several months after their suspension, the delayed presentation of charges raised doubts about the motives behind their removal.
The sluggish progress of the Tribunal proceedings further erodes public confidence and raises questions about commitment to justice and accountability.
Public accountability is the bedrock of good governance and national development. The role of the Auditor-General is pivotal in ensuring the effective management of public resources and uncovering instances of corruption and mismanagement.
Lara Taylor-Pearce (Photo) has demonstrated her effectiveness in this role, leveraging her expertise and experience to safeguard the nation’s finances and promote accountability.
The absence of a competent and substantive Auditor-General jeopardizes the government’s ability to maintain fiscal discipline and ensure accountable use of public resources. Lara Taylor-Pearce’s tenure as Auditor-General exemplified her unwavering commitment to transparency, integrity, and efficiency.
Her reinstatement is essential to restore confidence in the management of public funds and ensure the government’s adherence to sound financial practices.
The financial and operational independence of the Audit Service Sierra Leone must be prioritized. Without the autonomy provided under subsection 6 of section 119 of the Constitution, the Auditor-General cannot effectively carry out their duties free from bias.
It is crucial for the government to respect and uphold the independence of Audit Service Sierra Leone, ensuring unbiased audits and promoting confidence in the management of public resources.
Reinstating Lara Taylor-Pearce as Auditor-General of Sierra Leone, along with her deputy Tamba Momoh, is not just an act of fairness but also a critical step toward preserving fiscal discipline, combating corruption, and promoting responsible use of public resources. Let us collectively call for the reinstatement of Lara and Tamba, emphasizing the significance of an independent and effective Auditor-General in the fight against corruption and the responsible management of public resources.
The disaster we are facing today started with Sir Milton Margai who planted, watered and assiduously nurtured tribalism until its little fragile seedlings, sprouted and became a giant tree in Sierra Leone a land overcrowded with the most naïve, gullible and dysfunctional people that exists in the African continent today; Then came Siaka Stevens who instead of putting sustainable structures in place that will ensure our nations prosperity and longevity, changed the new narrative by looking the other way, embracing rampant corruption; Yes, it was Stevens that made corruption an acceptable norm in Sierra Leone and of course it was Milton Margai that ignited and stoked the fires of tribalism in my beloved Sierra Leone; True.
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And there you have it…the founding fathers who should’ve built our country on a solid foundation made of stone erected it on sand, that wobbles, and wiggles from side to side, an unsteady structure that has barely been able to stand steadfastly against violent, wayward storms that came and went their various ways; Tribalism is a learned behavior…Julius Maada Bio and his gang of tribalist despise people of other tribes, especially the Krios…who have long been considered to be the most educated group of people in Sierra Leone; The Mende people have always held a grudge against Krios since the days of the British because they were always held in highest esteem by our once perspicacious colonial masters; And that’s an irrefutable fact!
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Folks, those days are gone but old wounds that were inflicted by favoritism are still being nursed today by the Mendes; And that’s exactly the reason why Julius Maada Bio is targeting people like Lara Taylor Pierce, and Mayor Yvonne Sawyer…diligent and industrious women of Krio extraction who are confidently using their skills to move our ailing, failing country forward on the path of progress; Again, barely literate, means exactly that; the tribalist in State House knows not the meaning of competence, resourcefulness and hard work…he is that cunning old fox that thrives on thefts and banditry…it waits, bids its time and strikes a farmers barn when he is away, grabs a few chickens and bolts away…that’s how he overthrew Valentine Strasser another of his innocent victims from the Krio tribe…No one should trust this man…be wary of him, watch him with an unflinching gaze because he always up to no good.
Not only should Lara Taylor-Pearce be reinstated, but it should come with the payment of her backlog of salary while suspended as well as a formal apology for the mental torture inflicted on her and her deputy. In so doing Maada Bio will implicitly recognise the distinction between sacking somebody and suspending them.
The Lara Taylor-Pearce issue should be made an addition to the infinite number of problems which Bio currently faces in hopes of unnerving him and force him to make a run for it. He now faces virtual international isolation/sanctions, a bloated administration which he cannot pay, a legislature that cannot constitutionally legislate, an angry populace, an economy that is in tatters, former colleagues becoming enemies, a wife that isn’t sure of herself anymore and a determined Samura Kamara who refuses to stay down and be counted out. May be we are witnessing the beginning of the end of Bio in all respects. But even at this late stage Bio could salvage something of his equilibrium : through back channels he can contact the West, the UN,the Commonwealth Secretariate , ECOWAS and other world bodies to declare his willingness to rerun the elections organised by a reputable international organisation, and that if he loses he should be given safe passage out of the country. This should start making him sleep a little more soundly.
Oh by the way Bio should make it clear that he doesn’t have the funds for a rerun.