By Lawrence Williams
In 2020, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) contracted Mack Pharmacy to supply laboratory reagents and consumables within 14 weeks, advancing Le411,208,377 for the procurement. But 87 weeks later, the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL), in its annual review of the public purse, found that no items had been delivered. The auditors recommended terminating the contract and recovering the full sum into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
A legislative inquiry by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), established under section 93 of the 1991 Constitution, confirmed that the contract had been terminated but that Mack Pharmacy had not refunded the money. Seeking to enforce compliance with ASSL’s recommendation, the PAC in January 2025 issued two directives: Mack Pharmacy was to make an immediate payment of NLe100,000 by the end of January 2025 and continue monthly instalments of NLe10,000 until the full amount of Le411,208,377 was repaid.
The committee stressed that these orders followed Mack Pharmacy’s repeated failure to respond to refund requests from the ministry. It further warned that liens would be placed on the company’s accounts if it again failed to comply. Yet, by March 2025, the PAC reported that only NLe50,000 had been paid, leaving an outstanding balance of Le361,208,377. The PAC instructed the MoHS to monitor repayments closely, submit monthly evidence of compliance, and impose liens if necessary.
In August, Fritong Post conducted a follow-up investigation to determine whether the PAC’s orders had been implemented or ignored. On July 30, three freedom of information (FOI) requests were submitted to Mack Pharmacy, the PAC, and the MoHS, seeking proof of compliance, records of payments, and confirmation of amounts recovered. Both the PAC and the ministry failed to acknowledge or respond, breaching provisions of the Right to Access Information Act.
Mack Pharmacy, however, did respond. The company granted Fritong Post access to examine its bank payment slips, which it says document repayments made in line with the PAC’s orders.
Our review of the bank slips confirmed the NLe50,000 payment earlier reported by the PAC, along with additional monthly instalments of NLe30,000. This brings the total amount paid to NLe80,000 as of August 2025.
Mack Pharmacy, in its response, reaffirmed its commitment to settling the remaining balance of NLe331,208,377.
