By Nasratu Kargbo
The government, through its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) owes the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) over four hundred and fifty million Leones New Leones, according to the Chief Finance Officer of EDSA, Mustapha Sannoh.
Sannoh claimed the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) first public hearing on the Auditor General’s Report, on the 22nd January 2024.
He explained that they held discussions with then Financial Secretary, Sahr Jusu that monies owed EDSA by the government should have gone to settling the Authority’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) payable to NRA.
Responding to why their institution allows MDAs to operate with post-paid metres, Sannoh explained that they allow them to use the service due to the sensitive nature of certain institutions such as the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Parliament and the Ministry of Defence. He said for instance giving Connaught or ‘Cottage’ hospitals prepaid metres will not be good, should the credit finish in the middle of a surgery.
Chief Whip of Parliament from Government Bench Dickson Rogers asked the Chief Finance Officer to provide them with a list of MDAs that owe them including the monies involved.
The MP explained that during sub-appropriation, his committee insisted that all MDAs that owe Guma Valley Water Company and EDSA should pay up.
The Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee Segepoh Solomon Thomas said “What government is doing now is to ensure that every MDA has some allocation for electricity, so there must be a way around it because four hundred million new Leones is huge resources”
Member of the Committee Francis Kaisamba however questioned the rationale in allowing MDAs to use post-paid metres when the country is now in a prepaid era.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (26/01/24)
