The 2022 Auditor General’s Report has indicted the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) for shabby employment being taking place within the institution.
According to the report, PRA had been undertaking recruitments, without following due process from a review of the Agency’s recruitment policies.
The Audit Service observed that 17 personnel were recruited during the year under review but they, however, observed that the Agency did not follow the appropriate recruitment procedures by allowing the process to be open, competitive and transparent.
According to the report, allegations were evidenced by the fact that, there were no relevant supporting documents like doing job advertisement, receiving application letters and sending invitation letters for applicants to attend interviews.
These procedures, if followed, would have justified that correct procedures were duly followed by PRA.
The auditors recommended that the Human Resources Manager should make available to the ASSL, the relevant documentary evidence in support of the 17 personnel recruited, in the past.
Chief auditor’s comment states that, the said issue on non-recruitment procedure by PRA, remains unresolved since the findings were never responded to.
The report further says however, other key constraint noted within the agency was observed which and they include: increase in the financial cost in monitoring safety of petrol stations and their environments.
The ASSL said also that, there were inadequate facilities for the storage of petroleum products and there were few dealers (NP and Conex) of petroleum products in Freetown, while none in the regions is accounted for.
They recommended that the Executive Chairman to engage the relevant stakeholders within the sector to ensure that the above challenges are addressed in line with international best practice, adding that evidence of engagement should be forwarded to the ASSL.
The auditors reiterated that the issues have remained unresolved since the findings were not being responded to since then.