Freetown: The Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with the National Asset and Government Property Commission and supported by the European Union, conducted a stakeholder engagement on Wednesday with the Ministry of Communication, Technology, and Innovation. The meeting aimed to revitalize the implementation of the National Asset and Inventory Management Policy, two years after its initial launch.
According to Sierra Leone News Agency, Thomas P. Williams, Lead Consultant for the European Union attached to the Ministry of Finance, addressed attendees, revealing significant hurdles that have plagued the policy's rollout. He explained that while the policy was officially launched, its enforcement stalled because most Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) delegated junior officers to the initial sessions. These operational staff lacked the requisite authority to drive the necessary institutional change, effectively grounding the initiative.
Williams underscored the policy's urgent necessity, citing a decade-long trend of auditor general reports highlighting systemic asset mismanagement. He pointed to recent, deeply concerning incidents where government vehicles were unaccounted for, drawing negative attention from both the public and international donor partners. This recurring mismanagement threatened budget support and tarnished the government's fiscal reputation.
To address past fragmentation, the new policy consolidates existing legal frameworks, including the NPPA Act, PFM Act, and NAGPCA Act, into a single, streamlined document. This unification provides clear, consistent guidelines for all MDAs. Concurrently, the government has automated the asset management process by procuring and customizing the 'Free Balance' asset and inventory module. Following successful user training and User Acceptance Testing, full implementation awaits final sign-off.
Preliminary pilot programs across nine MDAs, including the Ministry of Finance and the Sierra Leone Police, revealed systemic inefficiencies. Physical verification exercises uncovered numerous discrepancies, including ghost assets and idle equipment, representing significant misuse of public funds. These findings prompted cross-institutional collaboration with key oversight bodies. Engagements with the Audit Service Sierra Leone were particularly fruitful, resolving previous ambiguities where MDAs contested which regulations applied to them. Similarly, discussions with the Accountant General's Office highlighted the policy's critical role in facilitating a transition to accrual accounting, which requires comprehensive asset data currently absent from financial reports.
Collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has also been strengthened. The policy now serves as a definitive reference for investigating whistleblower complaints regarding asset misuse. A significant procedural reform requires all procurement plans to be justified by a business case, approved by the institution's head, specifically targeting the reduction of idle assets. Furthermore, the policy establishes a clear financial threshold: assets valued at Le 7,000 and above must be recorded in the national asset register, while items below this value are classified as inventory and reported to the Directorate of Stores and Inventory Control. All relevant documentation is accessible on the Ministry of Finance website.
Joseph L. Ngegba, Director of Stores and Inventory Control, elaborated on his directorate's expanded mandate. Previously operating under the Accountant General, the unit was transferred to the Ministry of Finance in 2019 to separate payment functions from verification duties. His team has since conducted a nationwide assessment of government stores, standardizing documentation and personnel roles in coordination with the Asset Commission.
Paul Foray, North West Regional Head of the Asset Commission, reaffirmed the commission's role as the custodian of the national asset register since its establishment in 1990. He emphasized that the commission now possesses the legal authority to act on intelligence regarding asset misuse, conducting investigations without prior ministerial consultation. Disposal processes have also been tightened, requiring commission concurrence through a formal board of survey to ensure accountability and audit readiness.
Concluding the session, Williams outlined a comprehensive roadmap for embedding the policy across government. Future engagements include leadership workshops, operational staff training, and extensive media campaigns to ensure national awareness. He stressed the critical importance of asset coding, urging all MDAs to utilize the provided templates for proper identification.
"The misuse of government property is a crime," Williams warned, noting the ACC's heightened scrutiny. "This is not a witch hunt, but a necessary framework for accountability." The meeting concluded with a call for all stakeholders to thoroughly review the policy document in preparation for forthcoming workshops.