By: Alex A. Bah, Communications Officer, ACC

The Assistant Public Relations Officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Sylvanus Blake has, in a National Dialogue Session organized by the People’s Power Movement (PPM), on Tuesday 8th November, 2022, thrilled members of the PPM, consisting of State and Non-State actors, on the work and many positive strides taken by the Commission to tackle corruption in Sierra Leone.

The engagement which took place at the Think Africa Conference Hall, Tengbeh Town Freetown, was a platform to discuss national issues, and also, for State actors to give account of the work they do. 

Updating his audience on the work of the Commission, Sylvanus Blake firstly commended the work of the PPM, noting that, the fight against corruption can only be won with the undivided support of the public, some of whom are the perpetrators of it, and equally suffer its dire consequences. 

He also stated that, the mandate of the ACC was provided through the enactment of the 2008 Act in Parliament (which repealed and replaced the Anti-Corruption Act of 2000), and provides for the ACC to be accountable to the people of Sierra Leone on its activities. 

He furthered that the work of the ACC is underpinned by prevention which is a primary proactive outfit and investigation and prosecution which is its punitive and reactive outfit. The prevention of corruption he stated is done through robust sensitization program using the various available platforms. The latter he said is done to serve as deterrence and to underscore the fact that persons who contravene the Anti-Corruption law would be severely punished. 

“From 2018 to date, we have charged to Court more persons for corruption than the entire life span of the Commission prior 2018, and we have secured over 94% conviction rate”, Mr. Blake added.

He further informed them about the many robust reforms made by the ACC especially in the last four years that inform the consistent progress and remarkable performance of the country in various national and international indexes and statistics, that include the recent FY 2023 Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Scorecard that saw Sierra Leone for the fifth consecutive year, back-to-back, gain excellent score, and had become eligible for the Compact Grant. 

Mr. Blake encouraged his listeners to be vigilant and ever-interested in asking questions and making valuable contributions to the anti-graft crusade, which he said, is but the fundamental incentive needed to effect the desired change in Sierra Leone.

Earlier, in her welcome statement, the Advocacy and Policy Manager, Action Aid who doubles as the Vice Chair, PPM Sierra Leone, Aminata Kelly Lamin informed the audience that, PPM is a people driven institution and was formed in 2016, after a training that was provided on anti-corruption issues. 

She furthered that the vision of the PPM is to see a country free from corruption, as the primary basis for the promotion and realization of the rule of law and good governance. She stressed on the ills of corruption and the dangers of it in society. “We had to put our strategies together and started by sensitizing even the grassroots about the People’s Power Approach to fight corruption and enhance good governance”, Kelly averred. 

She further noted the importance of demanding accountability without violence and encouraged the audience to join their cause in making Sierra Leone a better place. 

The event was climaxed with questions and answers session.

©️ Public Relations Unit, ACC