Agriculture Ministry Undermines Bio’s ‘Feed Salone’ Initiative
By Abdul Rahman Bah
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) convened on Monday 20th January 2025, at the Administration Building, Parliament, Tower Hill, to scrutinize the 2023 Auditor General’s report on the Ministry of Agriculture.
The hearing revealed widespread mismanagement, including neglect of resources, poor storage practices, and a failure to utilize critical agricultural equipment, threatening the success of the government’s “Feed Salone” initiative.
Honorable Tawah Conteh voiced serious concerns about the ministry’s handling of agricultural tools and equipment, many of which had been left to deteriorate in poorly maintained storage facilities. He criticized the neglect, emphasizing that such mismanagement undermines Sierra Leone’s efforts to achieve food security and sustainable agriculture.
Permanent Secretary, Mr. Cole, admitted that some equipment had been in storage for over a decade. Shockingly, even newly acquired machinery was left unused in its original packaging for years, rendering it ineffective. Hon. Conteh described this situation as sabotage, accusing ministry officials of failing to properly manage the initiative.
An alarming lack of inventory control was highlighted, with reports of missing equipment and evidence of encroachment on ministry property. Some storage facilities were compromised, with thieves reportedly looting items, allegedly aided by insiders.
Photographs presented at the hearing revealed the dire state of the ministry’s stores: Crumbling infrastructure with cracked walls and collapsed sections, Rusting machinery left exposed to the elements, Flood-prone storage areas where pesticides and fertilizers were damaged beyond use.
Hon. Conteh criticized the ministry for discarding ruined pesticides, wasting significant public funds. The poor storage of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs further illustrated systemic inefficiency.
The report also revealed that expensive agricultural machinery, including tractors and rice mills, had been left idle in shipping containers. Hon. Conteh questioned why the ministry continued to procure new equipment while existing resources were underutilized. He warned that prolonged disuse would render machinery obsolete, compounding losses.
Hon. Conteh underscored the shared responsibility of politicians and civil servants in the ministry’s failures. He criticized vote controllers for their lack of oversight, describing the situation as a leadership crisis.
The PAC hearing shed light on a critical need for reform within the Ministry of Agriculture. It also raised broader concerns about the government’s capacity to manage key sectors effectively. With initiatives like “Feed Salone” vital for national development, addressing these systemic inefficiencies is essential to prevent further wastage of public resources and restore public trust.
The session concluded with a renewed call for accountability and better management to ensure Sierra Leone’s agricultural goals are met.
