By: Alhaji A.K. Bangura, Senior Communications Officer.
In its quest to curb corruption in all facets of society, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday 25th June, 2024 held an engagement with students and staff of the International Management Accounting Technology and Tourism (IMATT) College at the institution’s Kingtom Campus, Freetown. The engagement was meant to share vital messages on the issues of examination malpractice and other forms of academic malpractices.
In his welcome address, Amadu Justice Bah, Board Chairman of IMATT College, expressed his profound appreciation to the ACC for the sensitization drive. He assured the Commission of his institution’s commitment to sustained partnership in instilling integrity values within the learning atmosphere. He entreated the students and staff to imbibe these values and provide endless support to the national fight against corruption.
He underscored that, since its establishment in 2009, IMATT College has exhibited commitment to quality education from its humble beginnings as an under basement syndicate and evolved into a premier educational institution, renowned for excellence and innovation.
Mr. Bah furthered that because of its integrity, the institution was able to get accreditation from the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) and affiliation with the prestigious University of Sierra Leone, which includes the constituent colleges of Fourah Bay College (FBC), Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) and the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS). With this affiliation, he assured, the College will ensure that their programs meet the highest academic standards and provide for their students with a solid foundation for success that is the very reason why the ACC takes the fight against corruption to the college.
Intimating students and staff of IMATT College on the purpose of the engagement, Communications Officer Dolly A. Issa, revealed that, ACC extended its olive branch to the College simply because the Commission recognizes the good work of the College. “Our goal is to institute moral values, ethical aptitude and integrity in the educational sector,” she averred.
Giving an overview of the ACC and key corruption-related issues in the educational sector, Senior Communications Officer, ACC, Alhaji A. K. Bangura, emphasized the gains and successes of the ACC under the astute leadership of Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. Mr.Bangura described the engagement as part of the preventive mechanisms that the Commission employs in the fight against corruption. “Prevention is one of the approaches we use through public education, systems and processes review, Assets Declaration, among others. Only when these fail, then we resort to enforcement, which involves investigation and prosecution,"he stated.
Mr. Bangura further explained the major corruption offences in the academic sector, and their corresponding penalties as provided for under the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 (as amended in 2019). He said that pursuant to the said Act, all forms of academic malpractices are criminal offences that attract, upon conviction, a fine of not less than Fifty (50) Thousand (New) Leones or a jail term of not less than five (5) years, or both such fine and imprisonment. He warned students of IMATT against making attempts to induce lecturers to get an undue advantage, stating that it is a punishable offence, whilst admonishing lecturers not to yield to such attempts. “Section 28 and 33 of the 2008 Anti-Corruption Act (as amended in 2019) criminalizes bribery and corrupting a public officer, respectively,”he empasized. The Senior Communications Officer commended the administration of IMATT College for the warm reception accorded to the ACC.
Senior Communications Officer, ACC, Margaret A. Jones, said that the engagement was intended to solicit the support, and most importantly encourage students and university authorities to refrain from engaging in any acts of corruption. She said that the Commission also aims to recruit the students as integrity ambassadors and establish an Accountability Now Club (ANC) at IMATT College. She concluded by explaining how to report instances of corruption to the ACC, adding that there is adequate protection of informants and whistleblowers. Concluding, Madam Jones shared the Commission’s toll-free lines of 8515 and 077-985-985/077-986-986 to the students in order to report acts of corruption, assuring them of full protection.
