The presentation discusses Childfund Sierra Leone's grant finance procedures, including applying basic procurement procedures, internal controls, and ensuring accurate financial reports. Some key challenges are that many partner organizations do not fully comply with procurement rules or have proper request and payment forms. Additionally, cash handling presents issues as third party transactions are often paid to staff rather than vendors, increasing risks. While some controls like attendance sheets are improving, problems remain with validating receipts, availability of key documents, and use of devised receipts without proper identification. Questions about these procedures are welcome.

1. PRESENTATION BY CHILDFUND
SIERRA LEONE GRANT FINANCE
OFFICER

2. • Application of basic procurement procedures
• Application of basic internal control system
and procedures
• Accuracy of financial reports/liquidations
(individual vouchers and total reports)
• Authenticity/validation of financial
liquidations/reports
• Required reports

3. 1. Application of basic procurement
procedures
 Availability of approved procurement
request from appropriate personnel e.g.
project officer/field staff
 Availability of three proforma invoices
 Analysis of the proforma invoices
 Existence of procurement committee
 Existence of an approved payment vouchers

4. Application of basic procurement procedures
(ctd.)
 Existence of invoice, delivery note, goods
receipt note/store request and issue forms
(where applicable), receipts (stamped with
supplier’s name, address & contact # on it).

5.  Segregation of duties &
personnel especially in financial
transactions
 Who requested for the fund
 who prepared the voucher
 who reviewed/approved
 and who received the fund.

6.  Cash Handling
 Are payments to suppliers done by cash or cheque
(how often).
 Are they done in the supplier’s name or as CASH
 Are cheques written crossed or open
 Are copies of cheques available/attached to
payment vouchers
 How much of cash are handled by field staff
(all these are based on the available reports)

7.  This involves checking the vouchers
individually for its accuracy (i.e. attached
receipts/invoices against what is reported
 Also totals of all vouchers against total
reported

8.  Are receipts signed, stamped with names &
addresses of vendors on it
 Are vouchers approved by appropriate
authorities
 Are vouchers signed by recipients/vendors
 Existence of signed attendance lists and
payment vouchers (where applicable) for
meetings/trainings

9.  Cash Book/Ledger Accounts
 Summary of Receipts &
Payments
 Bank Reconciliation Report for
the period
 Bank Statement for the period

10.  Application of basic procurement
procedures:
 This is still a big challenge though some
SSRs are complying especially with the
nutritional supplies area. But we need to
do more as complying with the 3-proforma
rules is just one aspect. Many SSR have no
formal procurement/program request
form, no formal form for staff per diem
etc.

11.  Application of Basic Internal Control
Procedures
 Cash handling is an issue here.
 Third party transactions payments are
often done through staff.
 Most SSRs almost all payments are made
to staff and not vendors. We do minimize
bank charges through this practice but the
risk involved in the practice far exceeds
the gains (cash savings).

12.  Authenticity/validation of financial
liquidations/reports
 There are some improvements in the area of
attendance list & payment voucher availability,
but we still have big problem with:
 validations of receipts.
 Availability of approved request
 Availability of receipt without vendor vivid identity
and stamped
 Availability of internally generated receipts with
institution’s logo/name dubbed “Devised Receipt”.

13.  Some SSR dished out start up capital grant to
various individual at non-uniform amount.
 Payment of facilitation fee without standard
 Going into agreement with third parties on
individual basis without reference to the
institution. Eg. Acquisition of land/properties
with Global Fund project money without
referring to the institution he represents as if he
is acquiring the asset for her/himself.

14. QUESTIONS AND
CONCERNS ARE
WELCOME!!!!!