PRESIDENT BIO PERMANENTS ABDUL AZIZ AS AUDITOR-GENERAL AFTER EXCELLENT ACTING PERIOD

BY UNCLE SANKARA MEDIA PLATFORM

President Julius Maada Bio has on Thursday 3rd July 2025 appointed Mr. Abdul Aziz as the substantive and permanent Auditor-General after an excellent acting period spanning four years since 2021. During his acting period, Abdul Aziz has achieved a plethora of milestones that has successfully impacted the Sierra Leone financial management, transparency and accountability. Upon assuming office, Abdul Aziz was confronted with numerous challenges that seem insurmountable such as fragile audit function, inadequate resources and limited capacity among others. By way of tackling these challenges, Abdul Aziz was able to map out clear priorities with a focus on rebuilding the audit institution, demystifying the image of Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL), strengthening its capacity, bolstering stakeholders` participation in the audit process and enhancing its effectiveness as a key player in the accountability sector within the public service.

Abdul Aziz`s success could be pinned on his successful establishment of a vigorous internal quality control by creating a quality assurance division with a mandate to ensure that audits were conducted in accordance with international standards and best practices. In his status as Acting Auditor-General, he effectively introduced an audit methodology that focuses on service delivery. This approach primarily ensures that public entities perform their roles in meeting long and medium-term national development plans and sustainable development goals.

To sustain the above-mentioned developments, Abdul Aziz undertook continuous capacity building programs for Auditors, which enhanced the nomination of staff for international capacity building exercises. He also facilitated the reactivation of the international auditor fellowship programme organized by United States General Accountability Office (GAO). Through support from the European Union, Abdul Aziz enabled auditors to receive training on emerging auditing areas such as Forensic audits, Environmental audits and Information systems audits. The foregoing achievements among others prompted President Julius Maada Bio to appoint Mr. Abdul Aziz as the substantive and permanent Auditor-General of the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL).