Capitol Hill, Monrovia – The House of Representatives on Thursday, October 16, 2025 unanimously voted in plenary to grant the General Auditing Commission (GAC) full authorization to conduct a System Review of the Financial Management System and Processes of the body, covering a three-year period from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2024.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
The decision, read and endorsed during Thursday’s sitting, followed an engagement letter from the Auditor General, acting under Section 2.1.3 of the GAC Act of 2014, which empowers the Commission to review and audit all public institutions.
According to the GAC communication addressed to Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon, the system review is a limited assurance engagement intended to assess the financial management structures of the House, identify weaknesses, and recommend improvements — laying the groundwork for a potential full audit.
The review will focus on a wide range of areas critical to financial accountability, including: Administration, covering personnel management, maintenance, and payroll systems; Financial management, including accounting policies, budgeting, financial reporting, and record keeping; Procurement practices with emphasis on liabilities, and receivables management and Internal controls, such as internal audit procedures and oversight systems.
Other areas of focus would be Asset management, to ensure the maintenance of a reliable and up-to-date asset register, Banking transactions that considers reconciliation processes, and documentation, Reconciliation of expenditures between the House of Representatives, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, and donor funding sources (where applicable); Organizational structure and authorization processes, including management reporting and variance analysis and Information technology systems and computerized accounting environments.
The GAC communication emphasized that the system review will not only assess existing practices but also help “set the stage for an audit” by identifying control gaps and areas for efficiency improvement.
Following the reading of the communication, members of the House of Representatives debated the matter with the majority of them welcoming the move.
Speaker Koon, for instance, believes that the pending process is in the right direction of towards transparency and accountability within the Legislature.
“This is about ensuring that the House leads by example in financial integrity,” Speaker Koon remarked following the reading of the communication.
The House Speaker then threw the matter back on the plenary floor for make a determination, hence, a motion was proffered by Bong County District 7 Representative Foday Fahnbulleh, for the communication to be endorsed by the body.
It was subsequently endorsed with 33 of 39 lawmakers present at the time voting in favor, one against, one abstention and four taking neutral stances by remaining in their seats.
The GAC’s review team is expected to begin work after meeting with the leadership of the House on next Monday, October 20.
The team will work in collaboration with the House’s financial and administrative departments. The outcome of the exercise will inform both the Public Accounts Committee and the Auditor General’s Office on future audit priorities for the Legislature.
‘You are hereby kindly asked to cooperate with the auditors when they come. The Public Accounts Committee will work with the team to ensure a smooth process,’ announced Speaker Koon after votes had been taken on the matter.
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