The 2023 Auditor General’s Report has uncovered significant financial irregularities within the Ministry of Sports, revealing issues related to procurement mismanagement, unauthorized expenditures, and contract violations.

One of the major findings was that actual expenditures exceeded the Ministry’s budget allocation.

The Ministry was allocated a budget of NLe4,000,000 for the year, but the actual expenditure rose to NLe5,956,000, creating a budget deficit of NLe1,956,000.

Another major concern highlighted in the report was the Ministry’s failure to follow proper procurement procedures.

The audit revealed that procurement activities were frequently split into smaller contracts, bypassing the requirement for National Competitive Bidding (NCB). Instead, the Ministry opted for the Request for Quotations (RFQ) method, which reduced transparency and accountability in the acquisition of goods and services.

This practice increases the risk of inflated prices and potential collusion between Ministry officials and suppliers.

Furthermore, the report noted that payments were made for activities that were not carried out.

Funds amounting to NLe112,025 were disbursed for monitoring activities under a UNFPA-supported project, but the audit found that the officials who were supposed to conduct these monitoring visits were present at the Ministry’s headquarters in Freetown during the time the fieldwork was allegedly done.

This discrepancy suggests that the activity did not take place, raising concerns about possible misappropriation of funds.

The Ministry also faced scrutiny over the lack of accountability in payroll management. Some salaries were paid to employees who were not physically verified during audits, indicating potential instances of ghost workers or improper salary disbursement.

The Auditor General’s Report recommends immediate reforms, including the enforcement of stricter procurement guidelines, improved financial oversight, and disciplinary actions against officials responsible for financial mismanagement. If these issues are not addressed, they could continue to undermine the efficiency and credibility of the Ministry of Sports.