New Auditor-General Nomination: Stability Following Controversy

President Julius Maada Bio has designated Mr. Abdul Aziz as Sierra Leone's incoming Auditor-General, contingent upon parliamentary ratification. 

This nomination occurs nearly four years subsequent to the contentious suspension of the former Auditor-General, Mrs. Lara Taylor-Pearce, and her Deputy, Mr. Tamba Momoh, on accusations of professional impropriety. 

Mrs. Taylor-Pearce's suspension ensued shortly after the publication of a critical audit report concerning governmental expenditures, thereby instigating close examination and conjecture regarding a potential causal link. 

A tribunal, constituted to investigate the matter, advocated for her dismissal, citing deficiencies in professional standards, which promptly resulted in her termination. 

Mr. Abdul Aziz's appointment as the substantive Auditor-General is perceived as a measure to stabilize the Audit Service Sierra Leone and to bolster public trust, given his interim service in this capacity since 2021.