By Mohamed Sulaiman Jalloh
An audit report released by the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) for the 2024 financial year has revealed serious payroll irregularities within the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), including the continued payment of salaries to deceased staff for several months.
According to the report, the ministry failed to promptly update its payroll records after the deaths of certain employees, resulting in salaries being paid long after the affected staff were no longer alive. The auditors noted that this lapse led to significant financial losses to the government, further straining public resources.
The report highlighted weaknesses in internal control systems, poor coordination between the ministry and relevant agencies responsible for personnel verification, and delays in removing deceased workers from the payroll. These failures, the auditors warned, create opportunities for fraud and undermine efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in public financial management.
Audit Service Sierra Leone has recommended that the MBSSE strengthen its payroll management systems, regularly verify staff records, and work closely with the Human Resource Management Office and other oversight institutions to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. The report also called for investigations to identify individuals who may have benefited from the незакон payments and to ensure appropriate sanctions are applied where necessary.
The findings add to growing concerns over payroll management across government institutions and underscore the need for urgent reforms to safeguard public funds and improve efficiency in the education sector.
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