By Ragan M. Conteh

The Chairman of the Public Account Committee has ordered three officials of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRA) to refund the sum of £3,500 pounds.

“The £3,500 is to be deducted from the salary account of the Director of Finance, Human Resources Manager, and the vote controller all at SLRSA,”Hon. Tawa said.

He is the deputy speaker of parliament.

The order is in respect of SLRSA’s money paid for one of the staff to attend a programme overseas but never travelled. This money was paid and used without supporting documents, according to audit service queries.

The Speaker has also ordered the SLRSA to bring all the bank statements of the respective institutions for scrutiny.

The Deputy Speaker said the authority cannot collate revenue collected, adding that should be a daily process.

He said people should treat the institution very seriously.

He said there is an implication for the failure to ‘reconcile monies’ collected.

“We are going to write Union Trust Bank and we are going to get our money. There is lack of reconciliation at SLRSA across the country.”

Reconciliation is a financial term which means the process of comparing transactions and activity to supporting documentation.

“Don’t come for a budget here in parliament else you will regret it; you will not have access to government funds because for failing to reconcile monies collected,” Hon. Tawa warned.

The lawmaker also ordered the executive director to revoke the director of license of his leave who’s gone to oversea.

“If he continues to sit in abroad and doesn’t come to parliament, I will order SLRSA to deduct his salary and pay to the authority’s account, ” Hon. Tawa said.