Billions of Leones missing again in Sierra Leone government revenue – according to leaked Auditor General report

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 25 October 2020:

Sierra Leone’s 2019 Auditor General Report will soon be tabled in parliament for debate. And like all previous audit reports of successive governments, the 2019 Report is replete with evidence of massive misappropriation or mismanagement of public funds.

According to a leaked copy of the 2019 Auditor General Report seen by the Sierra Leone Telegraph, over one hundred million dollars in government revenue are unaccounted for or missing.

When the auditor general’s office published its 2018 Report last year, there was consternation over its findings which included evidence of missing Billions of Leones. But the current government led by President Julius Maada Bio took little responsibility and instead blamed the previous APC government for the missing funds.

The Bio – led government has been in power since May 2018 and cannot now deny responsibility for, nor refuse ownership of the 2019 Auditor General Report into the financial state of affairs of the country and the government’s stewardship.

And from the leaked 2019 Report, it is obvious there has been little change – if at all, in the way Sierra Leone is governed since president Bio took office in 2018. Corruption is still rife.

According to the yet to be published Auditor General Report 2019, “Government revenue for 2019 increased by 23% from Le 4.6 trillion to Le5.6 trillion; an increase of Le1.0 trillion. But perhaps the main areas of concerns are the significant issues that continue to be identified in the assessment, collection, recording and reporting of government revenue:

Assessment of Revenue

Several revenue streams are operated on a self-assessment system, with individuals and businesses completing their returns.  Consequently, there is a risk that deliberate or accidental inaccuracies in self-assessments may occur which may lead to under-collection of taxes. The main issues are as follows:

A Comparison between the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) World and the VIPS, in respect of import GST revealed import GST (VAT 2)transactions totalling Le1.6 billion reported in the VIPS could not be traced to the  ASYCUDA World. In addition, variances totalling Le21.8 billion were identified between the records posted in the  ASYCUDA World and the VIPS in respect of import GST.

Leadway Trading SL Ltd., the sole exporter of timber was using containers rather than cubic meters as a unit of measurement as required by section 3 of the Finance (Amendment) Act of 2018. As a result, timber exported was undervalued by billions of Leones.

Several taxpayers’ files in respect of Foreign Travel Tax (FTT) and Corporation Taxes were not submitted to the auditors; therefore, we cannot ascertain the amount assessed and payment made by the respective taxpayers.

Collection and Banking of Revenue

Taxpayers are required to make payment into the various transit banks or the Bank of Sierra Leone within the due date. However, significant issues were identified in relation to the collection and banking of revenue. These include the following:

From the sample selected, we noted that there were taxpayers with tax liabilities totalling Le45.88 billion who failed to make payments in the year 2019. We also noted that the majority of these taxpayers are State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). In addition, some taxpayers did not make complete payments of their GST tax liabilities, resulting in a net variance of Le34.76 billion as underpayment in the VIPs.

Upon review of financial statements and tax files submitted, we observed a difference of Le6.8 billion between tax paid and taxes computed on the chargeable income reported in the financial statements submitted without any evidence of additional taxes (5th instalments) been paid by the taxpayers.

Fraud investigation instituted  by the management of the NRA on Foreign Travel Tax (FTT) revealed that revenue totalling Le 3.2 billion was not paid into the bank for the year 2019. We also observed that revenue totalling Le13.6 billion was in the accounts at the Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL) for which no supporting documents were submitted to the auditors to determine completeness and accuracy of the amount in the bank account.

Furthermore, penalties totalling Le3.6 billion were levied on defaulting taxpayers; however, no evidence was submitted to ascertain that the NRA has taken further actions to collect these funds.

Revenue totalling Le2.1 billion collected from timber transactions for the year 2019 were not paid into the bank account at the BSL.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry outsourced the assessment, collection and banking of revenue relating to price verification and destination inspection to contractors. During the year 2019, revenue totalling Le15 billion was paid into the General Revenue account at the BSL.

However, relevant documents to support the completeness and accuracy of the revenue deposited into the account were not submitted to the auditors.

A comparison between revenue generated as per the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA)cashbook and bank statement revealed that revenue totalling Le27.2 billion was not banked.

During the review of the payment plan at the debt management unit at the customs department, we identified debtors with an indebtedness of Le5.7 billion who have been long overdue for payment since the years 2011 to 2018. In addition, upon review of a report done by the unit, we observed that debts amounting to Le351.72 million for which debtors cannot be identified or located in the country.

Reporting of Revenue

Monies collected by the transit banks should be transferred to the Bank of Sierra Leone within 24 hours, and later recorded in the IFMIS accordingly. In some instances, taxpayers such as oil companies and timber exporter make payment directly into the Bank of Sierra Leone. However, we noted the following anomalies in the reporting processes of revenue collection:

Reconciliation between money received by the transit banks and the NRA records is still not being performed for the year 2019 (except for custom transactions). Furthermore, our reconciliations revealed that GST transfers made by transit banks for 2019 were not deposited into the Bank of Sierra Leone (BSL). The total amount not deposited into the BSL was Le236 million.

Reconciliation for non-tax revenue between the NRA and MDAs are not done adequately. As a result, reconciliation carried out between the NRA records and the National Telecommunications Company Limited (NATCOM), we observed variance of Le86.82 billion above that recorded in the NRA cashbook.

Revenue arrears valued at Le300 billion disclosed in the General Purpose Financial Statements (GPFS) for the year 2019 may be misstated as third party confirmations from selected taxpayers were not submitted to the auditors. We observed that some MDAs failed to submit or submitted the wrong arrears information to the NRA.

We recommend that the Commissioner-General of the NRA introduce a compliance risk management process that will enable the NRA to focus on the underlying drivers (not symptoms) of the inaccuracies in the self-assessment system, rather than the adoption of a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

The Commissioner-General of the NRA should ensure that taxes due are collected and banked promptly. Without proper reconciliations (at the assessment, collection, recording and reporting stages), government revenue will remain relatively uncontrolled, funds are likely to be misused, and it will prove impossible to ascertain whether revenue disclosed in the GPFSs is free from material misstatement.

Other Charges

As part of our audit, we reviewed some of the expenditure on goods and services for selected MDAs to assess whether it was spent for the intended purpose and in accordance with the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act, 2016. Transactions totalling Le21 billion were not supported by the relevant documentary evidence like payment vouchers, contract agreements, receipts, delivery notes, etc. In addition, we observed that withholding taxes amounting to Le35 million was not paid over to the NRA.

This may create suspicion that the government’s much-needed funds have been misappropriated. The Accountant General should in future ensure that all payments made out of the Consolidated Fund are supported by regulations, government policies or other legal instruments.

Public Debt

A comparison between Disbursed Outstanding Debts (DoD) for 2018 and 2019 revealed that closing balances in the CS-DRMS502 report disclosed in the General Purpose Financial Statements for the year ended 31st December, 2019 was overstated by Le93.48 billion, and a loan transaction with a closing balance of Le231 billion was not captured in the report.

Outstanding debt balance totalling Le13.5 trillion was also not confirmed by external creditors and variances were identified between confirmation letters sent by external creditors and closing balances reported in the CS-DRMS502 report.

The Director of the Public Debt Management Unit should reflect the accurate picture of the current debt position of the Government of Sierra Leone in the General Purpose Financial Statements, as the information is very useful to users of the financial statements.

Payroll

Total amounts spent on wages, salaries and employees’ benefits were Le2.4 trillion in FY2019, which is 26% increase in the total amount spent in FY2018. The government wage bill, however, remains at 6% of GDP.

Allowances amounting to Le9.2 billion were paid to employees without adequate supporting documents; like arrears processing forms, approved salary amendment letters, request letters, recalculation sheets etc.

We also observed that taxes amounting to Le1.3 billion were not deducted from rent allowances paid to employees and consultant as a consequent of wrong tax rates applied on rent allowances. This could mean that due diligence was ignored in the payment of allowances to employees and consultants, leading to the loss of much-needed government funds.

The Accountant General should in future ensure that appropriate procedures and financial controls are implemented to enable the department to demonstrate that payments made in respect of allowances are supported by appropriate documentation, and correct taxes are deducted from rent allowances of employees and consultants and paid to the NRA in accordance with the Finance Act and other regulations.

Cash and Bank

We reviewed a minute paper dated 16th June, 2020 done by the Principal Deputy Financial Secretary to the Financial Secretary, requesting for the Minister’s approval for the cancellation of obsolete cheques amounting to Le 207 billion. We noted that the necessary adjustments are yet to be made to the draft General Purpose Financial Statements.

Procurement of Goods and Services

We examined a sample of some Ministry’s procurement on goods, works and services in accordance with the Public Procurement Act, 2016 and the Regulations, 2008. We observed that procurement activities totalling Le21 billion were not captured in the procurement plan.

In addition, we observed that contracts were not advertised, and letters of regret not sent to unsuccessful bidders for procurement activities undertaken, using an open competitive bidding method for the period under review. We also observed that conditions/clauses in the contracts were not followed for the supply of electricity in Bo and Kenema cities.

Because of the significance of sections identified in the report where non-compliance was observed, we conclude that the procurement of goods and services in these ministries was not in full compliance with the Public Procurement Act of 2016.”

The Sierra Leone Telegraph awaits the publication of the full report by the Auditor General before publishing further details of the 2019 Report which exposes very serious lapses in the management of public funds by the Bio-led government.

13 Comments

  1. *_Chief Minister jibes at Anti-Corruption Vigilantes over leaked Audit reports_*

    The Chief Minister Prof. David John Francis has reiterated the fortitude of President Bio to fight corruption is unstoppable and cannot be compromised. He stated that President Bio has overturned Siaka Stevens institutionalization of corruption by his infamous *”usai den tie Cow, na de e de eat.”* Presidential pronouncement. The media hype on the leaked Audit Report is just a great deal of nothing and propaganda hype will not in any way distract the President from his commitment to fight corruption in Sierra Leone.

    Prof. Francis confirmed that President Bio will at any time support and direct actions against public officials required to account for the misuse public funds. He further confirmed that the Government is resolved to ensure that Recommendations of the Government White Paper is implemented to the full. When the Audit Report is formally released, the President will again support and direct actions for the full implementation of the Audit Report, the Chief Minister confirmed. He assured the public that nothing will deter the President’s determination to ensure that the scrooge of corruption is dealt with.

  2. (CONT’D)

    As usual, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), a propaganda machinery of the SLPP, had no appetite in investigating any matter that bears the footprints of their paymasters. It seems the APC had to carry the can for the misappropriation of funds, even though their activities only covered the first quarter of the 2018 financial year. Nonetheless, the Auditor General never took her eyes off the shady pursuits of the ‘New Cowboys’. Not surprisingly, the bombshell came in the 2019 Financial Year Accounts, when another gaping hole was discovered in government coffers.

    The SLPP were standing aloof in the political arena, as they prepare to unleash the sledgehammer – in the form of the White Paper Recommendations – onto the APC; when the revelation of the of the 2019 Auditor General Report captured over US$100 million of unaccounted for or missing government revenue. Vow! If the APC feel great in misappropriating roughly US$100 million in their decade long rule, the SLPP can even afford to take a ride to Heaven wth their loot in just two and half years of misrule.

    Now, let’s try and extrapolate these figures, in other to get a clear and bigger picture of the business of graft in little Sierra Leone. With the APC’s US$100 million of pilfering in 10 years, it means the APC were stealing about US$10 million per year. For the SLPP’s US$100 million of loot in 2.5 years, it means for every year of SLPP administration, about US$40 million will leak from the government ‘begging bowl’. In other words for every 1 x dollar stolen by the APC, the SLPP would steal at least 4 x times that amount. Well, what the present trend says is that the SLPP are definitely in the Super League in the art of Corruption; and the APC are just Amateur Players. Thus, do the SLPP have the moral ground to investigate the APC for Corruption?

  3. Two years on at the helm of power, the ‘new direction’ engine was yet to spark, and confidence was gradually evaporating among the public; doubts about the ‘new direction’ as a vessel of hope were very prominent on the populace. However, for the sole determination of clinging to power, the SLPP government transformed into into a more barbaric dictatorial outfit. Divide and rule took precedence in the formulation of policy, and the game was now played in the phase of political briskmanship. The long awaited recommendations of the Commission’s of Inquiry (COI) White Paper, became the ‘trup card’ of the ‘new direction’ SLPP.

    It is now obvious that the razzmatzz displayed before the setting up of the COI that was solely devoted to the investigatiom of graft by the previous administration was, to a certain extent, a mere ploy to divert public attention from the premeditated devious activities of SLPP government. In reiterating the present charade unravelling in Sierra Leone: it “is like employing a notoriously light-fingered stranger, who had been hustling for over two decades in the diaspora, to investigate a group of hard-working patriots allegedly involved in pilferage”. With less degree of uncertainty, “the first option for this cracksman is to enrich himself and later point the finger at his opponents”.

    These die-hard hustlers cannot wait to dip their hands in the country’s coffers; and the Auditor General’s Report for 2018 didn’t miss the trick as a chunk of Le141 billion (US$14 million) of government cash went missing – just 7 months after assuming power. At this time, the APC was still shell-shocked from their unthinkable loss of power to the ‘new direction’ SLPP government, or probably the ‘NEW COWBOYS’ in town. Like a honeymoon, the new boys succeeded in painting the APC on the dark side of corruption, and used this blueprint to continuosly blackmail the APC, whilst tightening the screw on power. Everything was APC’S fault; and the ‘new direction’ government had no problem in pointing towards the direction of the now disorientated APC, as the only potential thieves of the missing millions. (TBC)

  4. Two years n on at the helm of power, the ‘new direction’ engine was yet to spark, and confidence was gradually evaporating among the public; doubts about the ‘new direction’ as a vessel of hope were very prominent on the populace. However, for the sole determination of clinging to power, the SLPP government transformed into into a more barbaric dictatorial outfit. Divide and rule took precedence in the formulation of policy, and the game was now played in the phase of political briskmanship. The long awaited recommendations of the Commission’s of Inquiry (COI) White Paper, became the ‘trup card’ of this ‘new direction’ SLPP.

    It is now obvious that the razzmatzz displayed before the setting up of the COI that wsd solely devoted to the inved8of graft by the previous administration was, to a certain extent, a mere ploy to divert public attention from the premeditated devious activities of the incoming SLPP government. In reiterating the present charade unravelling in Sierra Leone: it “is like employing a notoriously light-fingered str

  5. Who owns Sierra Leone PLC? Is it the corrupt political class or the long suffering people of this country of less than 8 million people? If this leaked audit report is anything to go by, its goes to show corruption is deeply rooted and entrenched in our society. And it doesn’t help, president Bio, has not only managed to turn this country to his private entity, but some of his buddies and appointed public servants are using the country’s resources and other means as a cash cow to enrich themselves. Tax evasion is a crime. Whether its the individual or businesses failing to pay their tax liabilities, it is punishable by a lengthy custodial sentence and huge penalties of fines.

    There is no way Bio can blame the former government because this time it happens under his watch. Bio and the ACC have staked their reputation, that they will go after corrupt individuals, regardless of how high up you are on the tree. No one is above the law, well this time you have your work cut out. Now the public will be waiting and watching to see if Bio and the ACC will follow their words through. Who ever leaked this report, must be part of Bio’s government, or a public servant, that is not happy about the state of our country’s affairs and the direction of travel.

    There is someone, I call “DEEP THROAT “in Bio’s circle, that doesn’t want to play by the script given to him or her. This individual or individuals must be wrestling with their conscience, where their alliance is – Bio or the state of Sierra Leone. Given what we know now, I think its the later. May God bless Sierra Leone.

  6. This is the hypocrisy of the New Direction Government the public had long pondered over, since the findings of the GTT report and subsequently, the launching of the COI, from which phase the White Paper was born. It’s the reason why although, fighting corruption sounds good to the ears of the listening public but, many people know there will be very little to meet the eyes. The records of this charlatans of accountability and transparency do not give public confidence. There has been no evidence in the past in good faith, from which standpoint to rely on President Bio and his new direction government as a heaven sent opportunity to stamp out endemic corruption.

    Although the contents of the 2019 Audit Report have only just come out in drips because, the report itself not being officially out, but the little leaks we have so far are hugely revealing, adding substantial doubts to the public, promoting existing notions of bias, witch hunting and hypocrisy the opposition had long held regarding White Paper drivers.

    What will president Bio do from this time forward, regarding such highly serious financial crimes occurring right under his own watch, will be a teaching experience for the country. We must never forget the old cliché – “Charity begins at home”, otherwise, isn’t it justifying to those who cry foul or at least, see it as castigating them for corrupt activities when the same occurrences are showing on a much larger scale right now, right there but, being ignored? The next phase of war to fight will be against hypocrisy.

  7. This is report on an alleged leak audit report. I will reserve my opinion until the report comes out. Audit report are not conclusive evidence. They are observations and recommendations to act on. One thing that is clear though is that the system is lined up with persons who would want to throw dirt at the current government. If that is not the case, it is surprising about the number of leaked report recently.

    If it is not a stall leak report about corruption at NRA which unfortunately for the leakers was something already in the public domain, it is a leak audit report which only becomes a report after the auditor general has appended her signature on the document. What if the 2019 audit report comes Out and many of the things mentioned in this article are not in the report, what other conspiracy theory are we going to spin?

    Having said that if people no Matter who they are are found wanting, I hope that the government would come down hard on them. After all this government has thrown the gauntlet. The people will go for their jugular if they fail to go after people who are bent on derailing the anti corruption train.

  8. “Leadway Trading SL Ltd., the sole exporter of timber was using containers rather than cubic meters as a unit of measurement as required by section 3 of the Finance (Amendment) Act of 2018. As a result, timber exported was undervalued by $5.5 billion.” Sierra Leone Telegraph

    I don’t know if this is a typo or it is the reality of the situation, that is that the sum of $5 billion dollars in Timber export alone. That is the entire revenue collected by the Ivory Coast for the same fiscal years.

    This is something that should be investigated. With 5 billion dollars, we do not need a loan or grant from the IMF or world Bank. Five billion is more that our total national revenue from 2014-2018.

  9. After Sir Milton Margai nothing has been clean about the way the way the government’s financial sector is run. And no government has done anything to revamp the system to make it nimble and responsive. It is not a case of lack of ability, rather it’s a lack of willpower on the part of leadership. Is Maada Bio serious about fighting corruption?

    This is the second audit report since SLPP took power. The first straddled the end of APC and the emergence of SLPP – a perfect cover for Maada Bio to just go silent about it. But what about this leaked one which deals with the entire period that Bio and his SLPP have been in power? Are we about to witness another deafening silence?

    We are just a sorrowful nation where our leaders solve major problems with utter silence. Ernest Koroma was the same. Never did I witness (I stand corrected) him taking to the airwaves to address an issue of extreme importance to the nation. Ebola? Silence. Mudslide? Silence. Auditor’s report? Silence. Now we know why. The Commissions of Inquiry (COI) have educated us. Maada Bio seems to be strengthening the trend.

    This encapsulates my support for the Bio government to squeeze every penny out of those named in the White Paper in the full knowledge that in the future SLPP will be the ones in the dock. Perhaps this time President Bio will use the audit report to clean up his government. His finance minister, Saffa, may know numerous things except the management of finances together with his PhD.

  10. There is no doubt that there has been gaping leakages in the financial system for far too long. However, as this “leaked report” appears to indicate, the efforts in plugging the leakage is having very encouraging results as indicated by the massive increase in revenue collection statistics.
    This is an ongoing curative process that cannot be completed overnight, especially so when the system is perforated by the presence of so many old red claws that are notoriously skilful at taking.

    The fact here is that the current government is on the right track. It is a steep slippery hill to climb but with the demonstrated determination of President Bio there can be no doubt that this is a fight that is going to be eventually won!

  11. If over one hundred million dollars will not be accounted for in one year, what can the Bio government tell Sierra Leoneans about the APC ninety two million dollars as stated in the COI in former president Koroma’s ten years tenure. Anyways, they are fighting corruption in the new direction.

  12. The last time, they said, it’s the APC. What will they say now? COVID-19 or the victims of the selective justice on corruption? We will definitely hit hard when the s**t hits the fan. Let’s wait for the official report to register on this widely read and globally respected online Newspaper. God bless The Sierra Leone Telegraph Newspaper.

  13. These revelations are worrying as they show that government continues to lose huge sums of money largely because procedures are not followed as stipulated; and year in and out, the same keeps repeating and the President is on record as saying that he was going to plug the leakages before assuming office in 2018.

    Whether the foregoing are deliberate or not, certainly they reflect a poor financial management discipline, and something should be done about this. The current government should take responsibility for this abnormality.

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