Samuel Kallon 
By Ragan M. Conteh
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has ordered the Clerk of his Committee to write all the banks requesting account of business entities that have failed to honour the Committee’s proceedings.
He is also the Chairman of Public Account Committee (PAC) in Parliament.
The Deputy Speaker said his Committee had resolved that business entities that did not appear before the hearing on Wednesday 3rd June, 2024 must face the music.
The Speaker made the submissions when verifying issues which were raised out in the 2021 Audit Service Report.
According to Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, those who’d failed to attend the committee summon will now submit their defense to the Committee after garnishing their account and pay the monies to the government consolidated revenue fund (CRF).
He said by the time the committee completes the hearing, over Le 22 billion will have been recovered.
The Deputy Speaker has also given 10 days to business people to settle their Goods and Service Tax (GST) payment on arrears to be made through the consolidated revenue fund account and should submit a proof of payment to the committee.
The Deputy Speaker said those who fail to honour the payment will not only contravene the Act but will face stiff penalties.
“We want to clean up the audit report, but can’t do it when there are arrears to be settled out,” Hon. Tawa said.
“I have collected government’s monies from MPs, so who else will not pay, no one, everyone who is caught in this will definitely have to pay,” he affirmed.
He said in the drive to collect government revenue, he will not show any form of compromise even with his friends.
He has given ten days ultimate to those who still owe government GST to pay or their monies will garnish.
“The days for holding government monies are over and as a committee, we will recover all pennies handled by either business entities or individuals.”
He also notified that Le39 billion has been deposited into the government revenue fund while another Le22 billion is underway within the couple of days.
Most of the business people, he went on, who attended the hearing had consented to pay their GST in the coming days.
