Sierra Leone recorded it index confirmed COVID-19 cases on 31st March 2020. Since April to September 2020, government received Le212 billion (Le212, 014,768,337.62) in the form of donations, contributions and support from organisations, individuals and international donor partners to the fight the pandemic in the country.
From that sum, the response has so far disbursed Le171 billion (Le171,133,179,030.27), with an outstanding balance of Le40.8 Billion (Le40,881,589,347.35) representing 19.3 percent of the total funds received for the COVID-19 fight in Sierra Leone in the past six months.
In the last six months spanning April to September 2020, government spent Le171,133,179,030.27 by three financial regimes, including the IHPAU Fiduciary team, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) Fiduciary team, and the COVID-19 Fund Administration.
Of the three, the COVID-19 Fund Administration received Le132.4 billion (Le132,422,938,777.62) and made the highest disbursement amounting to Le104 billion (Le104,237,303,757.27) representing 61 percent of the total sum disbursed; followed by the MOF Fiduciary team that received Le73.5 billion (Le73, 500,000,000) and spent Le60 billion (Le60,720,494,523) representing 35.5 percent; and the IHPAU Fiduciary team that received Le6 billion (Le6,091,829,600) and spent Le6.1 billion (Le6,175,380,750,) which was more than they had received, accounting for 3.6 percent.
According to the deputy Minister of Finance II, who doubles as the Deputy National Coordinator of the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre, Sheku A. F. Bangura, of the total disbursement made so far within the past six months, the COVID-19 Fund Administration received the highest, amounting to Le104 billion (Le104,237,303,757.27) to undertake certain activities including taking behavioural messages nationwide, case management, nationwide control and command structure formation, management of isolation and quarantine homes, surveillance, and testing.
The deputy Minister of Finance II disclosed that within the said period they were able to generate from various operations cash to the tune of Le8.7 billion (Le8,694,594,095,) of which laboratory tests conducted on all inbound passengers accounted for Le8 billion (Le8,030,027,539.74,) and enhanced enforcement fines amounting to Le664 million (Le664,566,556.)
However, issues including total breakdown of the total amount of money received by each pillar of the National COVID-19 Response were not addressed hence more assurances were made on transparency and accountability.
It was observed that 100 percent of all procurements managed by the COVID-19 Fund Administration and the Ministry of Finance Fiduciary team as at end of 30 September 2020 were completed hence suppliers had already been paid upon execution of their contracts. Some of the contracts were sole sourced, while others were done under restricted bidding activities.
By Mohamed Kabba