Opposition Whip Lambasts Procurement Fraud In Agriculture Sector

By Abdul Rahman Bah

The Auditor General’s Report has shed new light on the crumbling state of Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector, exposing widespread fraud, procurement malpractice, and systemic inefficiency that have crippled efforts to achieve food self-sufficiency under the government’s much-publicised “Feed Salone” campaign. During a heated parliamentary session on July 17, 2025, at the well of Parliament in Tower Hill, Freetown, Opposition Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara singled out the agricultural sector as a case study in misgovernance. Kamara pointed to the findings of the Auditor General, Mr. Abdul Aziz, as alarming but necessary, commending the level of professionalism in how the audit laid bare the failures in the sector. He referenced in detail, the fraudulent procurement of agricultural machinery between 2018 and 2025, describing how millions of dollars in public funds were used to acquire equipment that was either faulty, obsolete, or delivered in an unusable state. According to the report, a significant portion of these machines had already deteriorated or become rusted before they even arrived at Sierra Leone’s shores, a fact that points to either gross negligence or deliberate sabotage. The audit also revealed a serious lack of monitoring and oversight in how agricultural tools and machinery were stored, distributed, or deployed. Some of the equipment was discovered abandoned or parked idly for years without any documentation of usage or beneficiaries. Others were traced to ghost farming cooperatives or politically connected intermediaries who could not account for their whereabouts. In many cases, machines were procured at inflated prices through non-transparent bidding processes that violated procurement laws. Hon. Kamara argued that this scandal explains the persistent failures of the Feed Salone agenda. He emphasised that despite bold political slogans and repeated promises to transform agriculture into a productive, job-creating sector, the ground reality remains one of corruption and decay. He said that audit data exposes the disconnect between what the government says and what happens in the field. Farmers continue to struggle with access to basic tools, fertilizers, and inputs, while millions are spent on flashy, unsustainable interventions that benefit only a few. The audit further highlighted that agricultural extension services are either non-existent or poorly managed in many districts. Several agricultural training programs meant to support rural farmers were either ghost projects, or implemented with little to no evidence of impact. Funds allocated for capacity-building, equipment servicing, and rural mechanisation could not be accounted for, and many budget lines were diverted without explanation. In districts where agricultural projects were implemented, auditors found that progress was exaggerated in official reports, while the actual field results were minimal or non-existent. The report also criticised the poor collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and its parastatals, particularly in monitoring foreign-donated farm equipment and grants. Several donor-supported mechanisation initiatives were left incomplete or abandoned after initial launch events, often used only as publicity stunts. Many tractors, tillers, and processing machines that were supposed to support thousands of farmers, ended up unused, underused, or misallocated to political allies. In some instances, beneficiaries listed in the ministry’s records denied ever receiving any assistance. Kamara stated that the audit makes it clear that “Feed Salone” has become more of a political chant than a policy backed by honest, result-oriented investments. He described the program as a smokescreen, under which fraud thrives in the procurement chain and where little or no emphasis is placed on results and sustainability. According to him, the agricultural crisis is not just about poor rainfall or low yields, but about deliberate institutional sabotage from within. He warned that unless Sierra Leone begins to take audit recommendations seriously and enforces consequences for financial and administrative misconduct, the country will remain trapped in cycles of food insecurity and rural poverty. The 2025 Audit Report stands as a damning indictment of how billions of Leones intended for food production and rural livelihoods were either wasted or looted. It paints a picture of an agricultural sector that has been politicised, mismanaged, and left hollow, one that cannot deliver on national food security until accountability and reform take centre stage.