Audit Service Sierra Leone Auditor General’s Report on the Accounts of Sierra Leone 2024 unearthed approximately 316 ghost staff across ministries, departments and agencies resulting to a huge financial loss to the state.
The report narrated that the District Health Medical Team ( DHMT), Kenema leads in the area of ghost staff.
Upon requests the verification of 477 staff at DHMT, the supreme audit institution observed that 82 staff did not avail themselves for physical verification with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation trailing with 36 ghost staff. According to the report, those 36 staff total salaries in 2024 amounted to Le4,168,088.6.
Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, headquarters, Freetown also fall short of making available 30 staff for physical verification with a total salaries paid to them amounting to Le1, 124,309.24.
Provincial Secretary Office, Eastern Region 2023-2024 did not avail 33 staff for physical verification.
Ministry of the Environment also failed to make available 21 staff for physical verification with a total salaries of Le 341.934 paid to them during the period under review.
Additionally, the Rokupa Maternal and Children Hospital also accounted for 25 pin coded nurses failed to avail themselves for physical verification with a total salaries paid to them amounting to Le431,629.
The Princess Christian Maternal Hospital (PCMH) Management also failed to make 20 staff available for physical verification with a total salaries paid to them amounting to NLe432,146. 18.
Ola During Children Hospital also failed to make available 11 staff for physical verification with a total salaries paid to them amounting to NLe252,577.77.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Kenema, 10 staff failed to avail themselves for physical verification, with a total salaries paid to them amounting to NLe309,048 during the period under review.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning headquarters, Freetown failed to make available 17 staff for physical verification causing a total gross salaries of NLe774.324.24 paid to them.
Ministry of Gender and Children Affairs in 2023- 2024 period under review failed to present 14 staff for physical verification causing a total salaries of NLe1, 094,350.16.
Ministry of Information and Civic Education failed to make available 8 staff for physical verification with a total salaries of NLe341.934 paid to them.
The Sierra Leone High Commission in Nigeria 2021-2024 under the period under review failed to make available 1 international staff and 8 local staff for physical verification with 41,084 United States dollars paid to the international staff and 61,846,52 paid to the 8 local staff.
Surprisingly, the Office of the Chief Minister also failed to make available 18 staff for physical verification.
The report pointed out that the money paid to those unverified staff in various ministries, departments and agencies amounted to millions that could have been used to settle other issues of national interest.