Sierra Leone — June 23, 2026: The Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) and the Sierra Leone Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (SLEITI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen transparency, accountability, and credibility in the management of Sierra Leone’s extractive industries.
The agreement, signed at the ASSL Conference Room in Freetown, marks a significant step toward enhancing the accuracy of reporting and oversight in the sector.
Auditor-General Abdul Aziz described the MoU as a milestone in Sierra Leone’s governance reforms. He explained that under the new arrangement, ASSL will serve as the Independent Administrator for EITI reports, taking responsibility for preparing reports, conducting scoping exercises, analyzing data, and identifying gaps.
“With this new role, the ASSL can no longer certify the same templates it will later assess and report on. As the saying goes, you cannot be both the referee and the player at the same time,” Aziz noted.
He emphasized that the partnership reflects the shared commitment of both institutions to promoting accountability and good governance in the management of natural resources.
Aziz also commended the role of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in advancing transparency within the extractive sector, acknowledging their contributions to the EITI process.
Deputy Auditor-General Morie Lansana praised SLEITI’s work in strengthening governance and highlighted the confidence Sierra Leoneans place in ASSL’s oversight role.
SLEITI National Coordinator Mohamed Baimba Koroma hailed the agreement as a landmark partnership. He stressed that Sierra Leone, as an EITI-implementing country, publishes reports covering contracts, licences, production, exports, revenue collection, and environmental and governance issues.
Koroma confirmed that, in line with Requirement 4.8 of the EITI Standard, ASSL will lead the production of Sierra Leone’s 2024–2025 EITI Report, ensuring credibility and compliance with international standards.
“SLEITI considers ASSL to be technically competent, credible, trustworthy, and free from any conflict of interest regarding the collection and treatment of sensitive information,” he said.