Kabs Kanu: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 16 May 2024:
This writer has learnt from a very reliable source within the government that there is desperation to remove the suspended Auditor General, Mrs. Lara Taylor Pearce by the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Paopa Government.
If this illegal action is taken against the auditor general, it will deepen public ire against President Bio and government and will demonstrate once again the SLPP’s contempt for the principles of transparency and accountability.
In November 2021, Mrs. Taylor-Pearce, a national heroine for exposing the economic waste and profligacy of ministries, departments and agencies, as well as the President’s Office in both the APC and SLPP governments, was handed a letter addressed by the chair of the advisory board of the state audit service (ASSL) requesting that the auditor general and her deputy be immediately suspended while the attorney general sets up a tribunal to look into ASSL’s work.
It is now learnt that the Tribunal judges are incapable of writing the judgment and the Attorney general (who is the lawyer to the government) has offered to draft it for them.
According to various reports by officials speaking on conditions of anonymity, SLPP Paopa officials are accusing the independent Auditor General that she did not cross – check with President Bio before verifying receipts presented by that office for overseas payments.
But this has never been the standard procedure of the auditor general’s office, nor any international audit standards, and even the government knows that it would have watered down the independence and integrity of the audit.
Is the SLPP saying that they are covering the corrupt officials in that office who presented those questionable receipts?
It is now even clearer this SLPP Government does not play by the rules, laws and constitution and so that is the basis for the efforts being made by the government for her removal by all means possible.
If Auditor General Lara Taylor Pearce is removed to add to her already illegal suspension, it will justify everything ever said about the Bio SLPP Government that it is persecuting and punishing the poor woman for performing her duties conscientiously and credibly. And this will add a big blot on the SLPP ‘s commitment to transparent and accountable governance.
The suspension of the Auditor General remains one of the darkest shadows hanging over this Government especially when they claim to be whiter than white when they took office.
President Bio has proved many right that he is incompetent and lacks good judgement a price that the nation continues to pay.
Accountability and financial prudence are empty rhetoric if not backed by action that is positive but unfortunately the president has lowered the bar to unprecedented levels.