By: Alex A. Bah, Communications Officer, ACC
As Sierra Leone continues to consolidate its unprecedented gains in the control of corruption, that makes her a model on the African and global stages, the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. has in his presentation eloquently outlined the landmark gains Sierra Leone has made and continues to make in transparency and openness at the ongoing Open Government Partnership Meeting held at the Palm Plaza Hotel and Spa in Marrakesh, Morocco from Tuesday 1st to Thursday 3rd November, 2022.
This event brought together open government champions and stakeholders from across Africa and the Middle East and key international partners, with the view to raise collective ambition, infuse the desired energy, and enhance renewed political will to make Governments more transparent, accountable and responsive to citizens. This is done in order to foster the desired spirit and commitment to accelerate sustainable development and economic recovery in Africa.
With the focus of this year’s meeting on leveraging open government approaches to strengthen public service delivery in the region, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. joined leaders to have an experience exchange on best practices and lessons on advancing critical public service policy areas with emphasis on anti-corruption; digital innovation, access to justice, and civic participation.
Commissioner Kaifala’s presentation hinged on the exemplary work the ACC Sierra Leone has done in ensuring that it provides a platform of openness and accountability in its work through its ever-effective traditional and modern communication methods, the creation of the Special Anti-Corruption Division, its legal and other policy reforms, among the many proactive and positive efforts to make corruption a high risk and an extremely low return venture.
He dilated on the importance of strong institutions with stouthearted leadership, but similarly emphasized among other things the critical importance of both Presidential and Political will which he disclosed that Sierra Leone enjoys as one of the incentives for its landmark successes.
”In addition to leading a very result-focused and robust control of corruption in Sierra Leone, I am also proud to lead the story-telling on the amazing successes we have been achieving as a country, due to a renewed commitment and exemplification of transparency and accountability regimes which the World so now admires and is always thrilled to hear about” Commissioner Kaifala said in a Facebook post.
It should be noted that, due to his exemplary commitment to Open Government and Successes, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. was recently conferred an honor as the first Open Government Leadership Collaborative Fellow (OGLCF).
The Open Government Partnership (OGP) includes seventy-seven (77) countries and one hundred and six (106) local governments–representing more than two billion people – and thousands of civil society organizations.
The ACC Czar has so far participated in his first two panel discussions on "Leadership of the Fight Against Corruption" and "Sovereign Debt Transparency and Sustainability" respectively with two more panel discussions to follow.
© Public Relations Unit, ACC
