By: Alex A. Bah, Ag. Public Relations Officer
The Anti-Corruption Commission has today, 29th April, 2026, engaged Integrity Management Committee (IMC) representatives and focal persons from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Local Councils as well as members of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) Steering Committee, on the monitoring outcomes of the NACS 2024–2028, at its Conference Room, Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown.
In his statement, ACC Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., underscored the importance of getting the implementation right from the onset, noting that a strong start is critical to success through to 2028. He described the current 47% overall progress rate as moderate “not as good as expected, but not as bad as it could be” expressing confidence that performance can significantly improve as implementation progresses. He urged stakeholders not to be discouraged, but to strengthen commitment and delivery.
He further explained that the disaggregated data to be shared will reflect the performance of individual MDAs, highlighting that while some institutions are making strong progress, others are experiencing dips, thereby enabling targeted support and accountability. The Commissioner also expressed the Commission’s readiness to support focal persons in effectively engaging their institutional leadership to ensure that recommendations are implemented.
Chairing the session, the Deputy Commissioner emphasized that the process is a serious national undertaking, with oversight from a Steering Committee chaired by the Vice President, and interest from both the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President. He described the exercise as a preventive and collaborative mechanism aimed at strengthening systems and improving service delivery.
Providing an overview, Director of the NACS Secretariat, Mariama Navo, outlined the Strategy’s four pillars that prevention, enforcement and compliance, public engagement, and coordination and monitoring, stressing that success will be measured by tangible impact, not just compliance.
Representing the NACS Steering Committee, Adonis Aboud highlighted key gaps identified, including weaknesses in road safety enforcement, lapses in vehicle certification, porous borders, and deficiencies in pharmaceutical regulation.
Presenting the findings, Senior Prevention Officer Moses Bangura noted that while internal audit structures exist across MDAs and Local Councils, their functionality remains weak, exposing institutions to risks of poor financial oversight.
He further noted that while internal audit structures exist across many MDAs and Local Councils, their functionality remains weak, citing capacity constraints, limited operational support, and lack of independence, factors that continue to expose institutions to risks of mismanagement and weak financial oversight.
The engagement provided a platform for open dialogue and collective reflection, reinforcing the role of IMCs as key drivers of integrity within public institutions.
