By Crispina Cummings
Accountant General, Kebbay Kouroma, has told parliamentarians that government is spending too much and can therefore not save enough to invest for sustainable development. He was speaking on accountability ethics and values in the public service at a meeting organised by the Ministry of Finance for Members of Parliament on government’s budget and statement of economic and financial year 2013. “Government spends more than it earns, so it has less to save and invest,” he said, adding that his role was to receive public monies, provide security and make disbursements. He also clarified that the job of the National Revenue Authority was to collect revenues and pay them into the consolidated revenue fund which comprised some sixty-six accounts. He told MPs that he would always make sure that the right procedures were followed as contained in the national constitution. Kouroma noted that there were problems with people who do not want to follow the rules. “In this country when people want money from government they will harass you to death, but when they are asked to explain how they want to spend the money it is always a big problem and they will start quarreling with you,” he said. “I have this problem with ‘Big Men’ when they are asked to bring evidence of traveling like Executive Clearance from the President to be able to claim their per diem, it becomes a big problem,” he lamented. To have a record of such transactions, he went on, the claimants were required instead to sign the documents so that when auditors came around there would be proof of receipts. He called on parliament to look at investment framework which should be managed electronically so that there would be no problem whenever documents were needed for enquiries. “The IT system is still struggling and must be worked on. In Rwanda when you pay your tax at the airport it reflects straight at the accountant general’s office, but in Sierra Leone it has to go through many quarters before it gets to me. I can’t do it all alone, I need the cooperation of all especially parliament,” he urged.
