By: Aruna Lahai, Public Education Officer, ACC
As part of its efforts in handling the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) component of the Social Safety Net (SSN) Cash Transfer, and the new Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) Projects, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), has participated in the just concluded “World Bank Implementation Support Mission” engagement, hosted in Freetown from 18th to 25th April, 2023.
The objectives of the Support Mission is to finalize the closure and prepare for the Implementation Completion and Results Report (ICRR) of the SSN-take stock of the implementation of progress of the PSSNYE; prepare and finalize the PSSNYE additional financing, to process the US$2 Million Global Risk Financing Recipient Executed Trust Funds and finalize and disseminate the analytical outputs under the Sierra Leone Social Protection.
Representing the ACC, the GRM Unit of the Commission led by Patrick Morovia made a presentation on the status of grievance handling, community engagement efforts and anti–corruption measures in the SSN and PSSNYE projects. The overarching role of the ACC in the implementation of the World Bank and UNICEF funded SSN and PSSNYE projects is to handle grievances received from beneficiaries and stakeholders during the course of implementation through the GRM platform. This is an integral component of the system building plan of both projects managed by the ACC. It ensures that beneficiaries and stakeholders have the opportunity to report on issues they are dissatisfied with during the implementation phase.
The Unit Lead furthered that, to effectively carry out the GRM function in these projects, the ACC monitors various components of the project implementation; conducts corruption prevention campaigns through public engagement in beneficiary communities, radio discussion programmes, distribution of IEC Materials, etc.; facilitate trainings to Community Monitors and other relevant structures to promote GRM and social accountability.
Speaking on behalf of the ACC at the closing stages of the Support Mission, the Deputy Commissioner ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie reiterated the importance of the Commission’s corruption prevention role in the SSN and PSSNYE projects through the GRM. He expressed his thanks and appreciation to the World Bank and UNICEF for their continued efforts in making the GRM Unit of the ACC very functional. He concluded by reaffirming that the Commission will continue to be more robust in playing its role in the implementation of the GRM component in the SSN and PSSNYE projects so that beneficiaries will continue to receive the full package of project deliverables.
The ACC also records complaints from beneficiaries and stakeholders; assigns administrative complaints to implementing partners and follow up on partners for swift resolution, investigate corruption related complaints and provide feedback to complainants.
With the help of the GRM platform, the ACC has been very robust in addressing complaints or grievances received from project beneficiaries and stakeholders. As part of the update to the World Bank, corruption related complaints/grievances have always been investigated with necessary actions taken while administrative grievances have always been forwarded to NaCSA with prompt actions taken in order to maximize beneficiaries’ interest.
