The works of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament are well intentioned and meant to enhance accountability and transparency. Also it’s a Committee that should work in tandem with other government institutions to improve effective use of resources and efficacy in resource generation.

However, latest developments indicate a somewhat misdirected effort at executing its mandate of augmenting resources for government of Sierra Leone. Additionally there seems to be a disconnect between some MDAs, PAC and some revenue generation entities to the point of exposing the government of President Julius Maada Bio to shame and ridicule.

Government institutions are expected to collaborate on many issues including resource mobilisation and judicious use of such funds. In the case of the PAC however, it seems to operate in silhouette and with little or no nexus with MDAs and revenue generating entities.

A case in point is the recent publication by way of gazette by the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament, of defaulting entities, and the call by it for probe into the tax liabilities of such entities. The PAC, without perhaps liaising with the entities and Ministry of Finance, published a long list of entities that to them had failed to pay their taxes to government of Sierra Leone. The PAC asked the listed entities to appear in Parliament on Wednesday April 30th to answer to probes of default.

Much to their dismay, and to the ridicule of government, most of the said defaulting agencies, had actually complied with their tax payments and were unduly, and without due diligence by the PAC, honoured all their financial liabilities to the government of Sierra Leone.

This situation has angered some of the institutions that were placed on the list of defaulters to the extent that some have threatened withdrawal of operations in the country, if uncensored list of defaulting agencies are published with proper investigation.

This is not the first time that the PAC is seen to meddle into the activities of the Ministry of Finance or its agency, the National Revenue Authority. Prior to that the PAC, without recourse to MDAs or NRA had instructed the withdrawal of essential services like water and electricity to some MDAs for alleged failure to pay for provision services.

It’s looking suspicious that the PAC is presenting the government in bad light and painting a picture of lack of collaboration in intergovernmental issues. The policy zigzag seemingly created by PAC is embarrassing to government and to President Bio in particular.

Calls are growing and concerns raised for PAC to improve on its collaboration with other agencies before taking actions that will put the government in bad light. The PAC, it is said should be the last resort after the agencies responsibility for certain activities have failed to get compliance especially for payments.