By: Abdulai Saccoh, Senior Public Education Officer, ACC
As part of its preventive approach to curb corruption, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has held a constructive dialogue with staff of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning (MLHCP) in Bo. The engagement, held on Tuesday, 23rd September 2025 at the Ministry’s Conference Room, Dambala Road, Bo, focused on addressing corruption vulnerabilities within the land administration sector.
Speaking at the event, the ACC’s Regional Director, South, Momodu Sittar, underscored the urgent need for transparency in land administration. He expressed concern over the improper conduct of certain staff who allegedly extort money from members of the public for services meant to be free. Such behavior, he said, undermines public trust and tarnishes the institution’s reputation. Director Sittar assured participants of the ACC’s commitment to working with the Ministry to put in place corruption safeguards, while reminding them of the stiff penalties under the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 as amended in 2019, a minimum fine of fifty million Leones, a prison term of not less than five years, or both.
In his statement, Senior Public Education Officer, ACC, Abdulai Saccoh highlighted how corruption has hindered efficient service delivery in land administration. He noted the ongoing reforms within the Ministry that aim to improve the system and warned staff against allowing greed to drive them into corrupt practices. He cited issues such as inflation of official land costs, collusion with traditional authorities to falsify ownership, illegal sale or lease of state lands, abuse of discretionary powers, and informal payments for land services as unacceptable practices that attract ACC’s intervention.
The Regional Director of MLHCP, South, Alimamy Lucky Sesay, welcomed the engagement, describing it as eye-opening and timely. He commended the ACC’s work in raising awareness, strengthening systems in MDAs, and recovering stolen funds, and urged his colleagues to uphold integrity and respect national laws.
Also contributing, Mohamed A. Kabba, Public Education Officer, explained that sustained engagements with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) are intended to promote ethical values and integrity among staff. He stressed that while the Commission emphasizes prevention and awareness, prosecution of corrupt officials will continue. He encouraged staff to apply the values discussed to help change negative public perceptions and assured them of informant protection, while outlining the Commission’s various reporting channels.
The session concluded with an interactive question-and-answer segment, which provided staff of the ministry the opportunity to clarify issues and deepen their understanding of corruption prevention.
