By Musa Paul Feika
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Parliament who doubles as the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. Ibrahim Tawa, has said the Auditor General’s Report 2022 has cleared allegations made against the Gento Group of Companies while he at the same time accused the Ministry of Finance – MOF’s consultant, Fetorma Kemokai, of engaging in copying and pasting.
The document presented by MOF to the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) for auditing had accused the Gento Group of Companies of double dipping.
Mr. Kemokai admitted to the committee that the documents he submitted to the Audit Service Sierra Leone making the allegation had typographical errors.
It was against this backdrop that Hon. Conteh said for a whole government official to make typographical errors on a document that almost plunged the Gento Group of Companies into misery, he fined Mr. Kemokai NLe5,000 to be deducted from his salary at the MOF for failing to provide accurate and relevant information to the ASSL as prescribed by the Audit Service Act.
He accused Mr. Kemokai of engaging in copying and pasting at the said ministry, disclosing that documents that have to do with the state’s or government’s business should be thoroughly scrutinised.
Hon. Tawa assured that the committee will take serious actions which will be communicated to the ministry including members of the public after the investigations.
For his part, the deputy opposition leader, Hon. Aaron Koroma, urged Mr. Kemokai to tender a statement stating the typographical errors he made against the Gento Group of Companies.
The Deputy Auditor General, Morie Lansana, blamed the ministry’s consultant for the typo that led to the allegations in 2022 Audit Report against the Gento Group of Companies.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Gento Group of Companies, Mohamed Gento Kamara, said he is happy that he has been cleared by the PAC in Parliament.
He added the auditors portrayed his company in a different light and urged government institutions to do the right thing in their offices to avoid defaming people who are trying to bring development to the country.