By Fatou Sillah
The government has begun efforts to recover 215,866 dalasis (about $215,866) paid in duplicate salaries to public officers on secondment, officials told lawmakers this week, as auditors warned that the matter remains unresolved pending full reimbursement and verification.
The Accountant General’s Department informed the Finance and Public Accounts Committee on Monday that it is working to reclaim the funds after an audit revealed that several seconded officers continued to receive salaries from their original institutions—a practice prohibited under public service regulations.
Auditors had recommended that the affected officers refund the payments.
Representatives of the Accountant General’s Department said they have formally contacted the Personnel Management Office to update the employment status of the officers involved and to initiate recovery.
“AGD has written to PMO on the timely updating of the status of seconded officers as well as employment details,” an official told the committee. “Additionally, we will work on a recovery strategy for the affected officers.”
Auditors acknowledged the response but said it fell short of resolving the issue, noting that they would continue to track the case in future audits until the funds are fully recovered.
“Management’s response is noted; however, the issue remains unresolved,” the auditors said. “Follow-ups will be made in subsequent audits.”
The accountant general told lawmakers that his office had reached out to the entities employing the officers and spoken directly with those concerned, but had yet to receive confirmation that repayments had been made.
“We are working with them to ensure recovery of this sum,” he said. “I personally had reached out to the two entities, and I was able to speak to both of the concerned, but I am yet to be updated as to whether they have actually paid up, but we will work on that and then provide an update because if we find out that they have not paid up, we intend to write to the entities that they are employed in for full recovery with immediate effect, or we will bring them here before you or to the police.”
Auditors also highlighted systemic weaknesses that allowed the duplicate payments to occur, citing poor coordination between the Personnel Management Office and the Accountant General’s Department.
“It means that the PMO and then the accountant general have to work in tandem to ensure that this issue is addressed because otherwise, if controls are not strengthened, this issue may recur in the future.”
The Finance and Public Accounts Committee gave the Accountant General’s Department until Feb. 25 or 26 to resolve the matter and report back on the recovery of the funds.
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