By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO-ACC
At the commencement of the third "Inter-Agency Meeting on Social Protection" held at the Kenema District Council Hall along Nyandeyama Road in Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone on the 9th and 10th August 2024, Deputy Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Augustine Foday Ngobie, has reaffirmed to the Government of Sierra Leone, International Partners, Stakeholder Institutions involved in the roll-out of all Social Safety Net (SSN) related programmes and projects, that the ACC shall at all times continue to display stout and unwavering commitment to promptly addressing every form of suspected corruption that may creep into these much needed critical pro-poor development projects, intended to aid poor vulnerable persons and households in Sierra Leone.
The Deputy Commissioner further stated that the ACC, which superintends the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) component in the ongoing Government of Sierra Leone, World Bank, and UNICEF $:42 million funded Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) project and other social safety net projects that the Commission will continue to raise sufficient publicity and awareness on the need for a corrupt-free rollout of these projects, empower the public to unhesitantly report all suspected instances of corruption and grievances to the ACC.
He also reassured them of the robust witness, and informant/whistleblower Protection Mechanisms provided for in the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 as amended.
He underscored that the ACC has been part of the SSN process, in order to ensure that funds and resources provided are judiciously utilized for their intended purposes without any hindrances.
He furthered that the ACC has the mandate to protect public resources and hold persons accountable for corrupt practices and shall at all times be prompt and robust in this regard. "Wherever resources are provided, there will always be the risk of these resources to be misused. We shall resist such at all times. We have done it before in other SSN projects and we shall continue to do.", he averred
The Hon. Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, Chairing the Inter-Agency Forum Meeting for Social Protection, disclosed that such meetings are critical to coordinate the rollout of all SSN projects in order to maximize impact, devoid of duplicity of resources.
"What we want to leave this meeting with as in previous meetings, is a comprehensive answer to how we shall enhance coordination and ensure success maximization" he said.
Linking the "Government's Big Five Game Changers" manifesto promises, the Hon. Vice President stated that the manifesto agenda seeks to help in the transition from supporting consumption to supporting production, as such SSN related projects and programmes are directed in tandem with them.
"Social Protection is a pro-poor vehicle, and it is a good vehicle. But transitioning people out of vulnerabilities requires far more than social protection cash handouts. We must continue to coordinate our efforts to include transitioning our vulnerable people into sustainable livelihood opportunities. Your statements and contributions over the next two days should help give us an idea of where we should be going with social protection", he concluded.
In the two-day forum meeting, the Hon. Vice President of Sierra Leone, shall continue to have more detailed and technical deliberations and sessions that will lead to a more comprehensive, well-coordinated, and swiftly implemented Social Protection projects.
Key among the stakeholders at this year's forum meeting are; teams from our International Partners including the Country Directors of World Bank, UNICEF, World Food Program; Ministers of Employment, Labour, and Social Security, Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs, Basic Education, Finance, the Statistician General, Director General of NASSIT; Commissioner of NaCSA, Deputy Commissioner of ACC, Mayors from all Cities/Municipalities in Sierra Leone, Paramount Chiefs, Media, Civil Society etc.
