The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with support from the World Bank and UNICEF has on Wednesday 14th June, 2023, intensified sensitization campaigns in the Southern Region, on the Grievance Redress component in the Social Safety Net (SSN) project, implemented by the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA).
The Town Hall sensitization meetings which started in Ngokoma Village, Fogbo Section, Kori Chiefdom, in Moyamba District attracted over 150 persons, including primarily SSN Beneficiaries, Community Identification Committee (CIC) members, community stakeholders, youth, women and nurses.
The meeting was to inform listeners of the different components of the SSN project and the transitioning from SSN to the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Empowerment (PSSNYE) program, which will also be funded by the World Bank and the Government of Sierra Leone.
Speaking at the engagement, the Director, Public Education and External Outreach, ACC, Patrick Sandi stated that there is every reason for the people to be gratified to the Government of Sierra Leone and the World Bank for the cash support for this period of time. He also added to the list NaCSA, UNIICEF, Rokel Commercial Bank, and more especially the ACC-which has engendered transparency, openness and accountability in the cash transfer process and education across all levels.
Director Sandi further highlighted the different interventions the ACC continues to make in the project, which have made the donors to sustain the confidence and trust that the needed cash will get to the intended beneficiaries, or where contraventions of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 (as amended in 2019) occur, the correct steps will be taken.
He encouraged beneficiaries as they had done, to judiciously manage the funds for the benefit of their households and for the purposes of transformimg their lives and improving on their livelihoods.
In his update, the Director catalogued the many achievements the ACC has made in regard the fight against corruption during the New Direction administration of His Excellency, Brig (Rtd.) Dr.Julius Maada Bio. He spoke on the recovery of over Forty Five Billion (Old) Leones cash from corrupt persons and institutions, excluding monies paid or caused to be paid directly to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and court fines. That it has also recovered houses, office equipment and vehicles.
Mr. Sandi also mentioned the remarkable gains made in local and international corruption perception indexes, such as, the Afro-Barometer, the Global Corruption Index-all released by the Transparency International, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Scorecard and the National Corruption Perception Survey Report by the Public Financial Management (PFM) Consortium.
Director Sandi also informed his listeners of the over one dozen reviews conducted in MDAs, the over 90% conviction rate, the existence and functionality of the Special Anti-Corruption Division within the High Court of Sierra Leone and of Integrity Management Committees in ALL MDAs.
In her submission on the role of the SSN Beneficiaries, Senior Communications Officer, Margaret Jones, said, the direct cash paid is meant for the household to address their pressing needs as it would relate to, food and nutrition, health, and self-sufficiency.
She informed Beneficiaries of the success stories of persons who have wisely utilized the funds, stating that these are role models to the SSN project and would always be remembered.
Madam Jones underscored that the PSSNYE will have many components, but it is an expansion of the SSN as more people will come on board including youth groups and vulnerable groups, especially persons with disabilities.
In his presentation on how to report if anybody bumps into suspected incidents of corruption, Jonathan Bassie, District Monitor, Moyamba said, it was the civic responsibility of all to report instances of suspected corruption to the ACC, particularly one that affected beneficiaries. He assured of their confidentiality and of ACC’s capacity to deal with ALL issues that fall within its mandate, reading out the toll free lines they should call whenever to make reports - 077-985-985 or 077-986-986.
Mr. Bassie also told them to meet him in person or any community monitor to make report. He called out his mobile Nos and said they will make the report in any language of their choice and convenience.
Earlier in his welcome statement, Town Chief of Ngokoma village Ansumana Fengo, thanked the ACC for the good thoughts to sensitize them at a time the project was transitioning, though the current discussions would be on the SSN. He pledged his people’s undivided support to the project and said in regard the SSN implementation so far, no report that would be of interest to the ACC has come up.
He thanked all the major players implementing the SSN program and further assured them of the people's cooperation at all times.
The meeting ended with questions which were adequately responded to, and the presentation of the SSN information, education and communication materials to Ansumana Fengo, Town Chief, for effective distribution to all SSN Beneficiary communities.
Similar meetings will be held in the coming days, in Bonthe, Pujehun and Bo Districts respectively.
©️ Public Relations Unit, ACC
