Mr. Assan S Bangura (AKA Asbo) is Senior Assistant Finance Officer (SAFO) at the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute presently assigned to the Kabala Horticultural Research Centre (KHCRC) since March 2018 managing and reporting funds allocated to the Centre. He joined SLARI in 2009 and was assigned to the Rokupr Agricultural Research Center as an Assistant Finance Officer (AFO). In 2011 he was transferred to the SLARI Head Quarters in Freetown, and promoted as Senior Assistant Finance Officer (SAFO) responsible for managing all SLARI internal and external projects accounting and financial reporting.
He has a wealth of experience and knowledge in accounting, financial management control system, procurement, administration, budget preparation, auditing, bookkeeping, cash & cash management, management and control, stock taking, salary payments and enhancing cash returns, project financial account, bank reconciliation and preparation of statement. reporting to stakeholders and field work.
Mr. Bangura holds a Masters in Development Management (MDM) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Accounting (Second-class division two) from the Institute of Public Administration & Management (IPAM) University of Sierra Leone (USL). He completed the Association of Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) Professional studies Part 1 (one) with exemption in the following subjects: Preparing Financial Statement, Financial Information for Management and Managing People in the year 2004, a Technician Diploma in Accounting (TDA) in 2003 at the IPAM USL and a Certificate Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Accounting & Finance at the Institute of Business Management & Administration (UK London affiliated courses Institute of Commercial Management). Mr. Bangura has completed a training workshop in May 2014 in Proposal writing, Grants, Contracts, Database Management, Project Administration and Intellectual Property (IP) in Nigeria, training in 2011 in Financial Project Management and Procurement in Nairobi, Kenya, a professional leadership training in 2007 in strategic planning and finance in Nairobi Kenya. Before joining SLARI, Mr. Bangura has worked in the banking sector and with non-governmental organizations where he acquired substantial knowledge and experience in:
- Preparing and reporting on financial statement to donor and stakeholders, annual personal emolument (PE), project budget plus the handling of physical cash payment of staff salaries (payroll) and other payment vouchers aspect in an organization are part of my day-to-day activities and asset tracking (asset register preparation and maintaining asset inventory).
- Verifying correct application of project contract awards procedures and method in compliances with donor agencies agreements.
- Preparing audited reports of an organization finding, queries and recommendation by internal as well external auditors Journal/Article.
- Preparation of Internal Audit Manual for organizational internal and external auditing purpose as well as guide to finance departments in organizations.
- Preparation of financial report in an organization and proper maintaining of cash book, bank books petty cash records and a bank recompilation statement.