By: Sylvanus Blake, Public Relations Officer-ACC

The proactive and dynamic Deputy Commissioner of the Anti Corruption Commission, Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 (ACC-SL), Augustine Foday Ngobie, has entreated all stakeholders with critical roles to play in the roll-out of the World Bank and Government Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 $40million funded Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) scheme, to steadfastly commit themselves to the successful implementation of the project, and avoid all conducts that will undermine the project. 

He said this whilst making his remarks on Monday 21st August, 2023, at a Week-Long Retreat held at the Conference Hall of the Youth in Action for Development (YAD), along Maxwell-Khobe Street in Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone 🇸🇱. 

The Retreat which brought together technical staff from the ACC, NaCSA, Ministry of Youth Affairs, National Youth Commission, and the Freetown City Council, was to discuss and review the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Manual before the roll-out of the PSSNYE. 

Mr Ngobie underscored that the successful implementation of the PSSNYE, like the just concluded different phases of the Social Safety Net (SSN) and the Emergency Cash Transfer projects, which provided unconditional cash transfer to thousands of poor vulnerable households and businesses badly affected by the CoVID-19 Pandemic was not optional. 

He furthered however, that the PSSNYE project thematic framework resonates with the Big-Five Game Changers of the Government's Manifesto promises by His Excellency, President Brigadier Retired Dr. Julius Maada Bio, as it seeks to deliver with quality, precision, and dexterity on enhancing the livelihoods of poor vulnerable households and youth employment through unconditional cash transfers and middle level skills acquisition and cash- for-work programs.

Those of us present here have huge task in our hands for our Nation. We must deliver and do so patriotically, devoid of our political persuasions and other sentiments. Failing is not a route. This project shall be implemented without any accountability or corruption issues. We (ACC) shall ensure this. And in our quest to do so, we shall leave no stone unturned in holding anyone accountable, whose acts would constitute corruption" ACC Deputy Commissioner averred. 

He also stated that the PSSNYE project seeks to address some of the most difficult challenges our society is confronted with today, viz; livelihood for majority of the poor and youth unemployment or employability. "The recent spate or drug (kush) abuse, coupled with the seeming lack of requisite middle level skills among many young persons, have compounded the problem of our youth. If we fail to help them, then we would have failed to help our nation and ourselves." He observed. 

The Retreat, which will last from Monday 21st through to Friday 25th August, 2023, will allow for a thorough postmortem on the previous GRM Manual to include new players which are; the Ministry of Youth Affairs, National Youth Commission and the Freetown City Council in the New GRM Manual. It will be the blueprint to prevent and address all grievances that would possibly emanate from the roll-out of the PSSNYE.