The Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC) sub-regional office in Kono has on the 3rd November 2021, engaged officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development in the District, as part of the Commission’s strategies to mainstream anti-corruption measures in public sector institutions. The meeting attracted chiefdom administrative clerks, court clerks, local chiefs and chiefdom administrators in the District.
ACC’s Senior Investigation Officer Alpha G. Koroma referred to corruption as a major impediment to good governance and economic growth, adding that “corruption largely benefits those who perpetrate it at the expense of the bulk of the masses”. He highlighted some of the offences in the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 as amended in 2019 and further encouraged his audience to be mindful of such offences in the discharge of their duties.
Public Education Officer ACC, Sam P. Gogra said, corruption was one of the main causes of the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone as highlighted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. He said the ACC was therefore established as a recommendation of the report to suppress and eradicate corruption. This, he said, the Commission has been doing through public education, prevention, investigation and prosecution of people suspected of committing acts of corruption.
Mr. Gogra intimated his audience on reports of bribery and other malpractices in the local governance system and advised them to desist from such practices in order to deliver effective public services.
Public Education Officer ACC, Hawa Deen Conteh thanked the participants for the overwhelming attendance, which shows their willingness to partner with the Commission to fight corruption. She described the engagement as a means of raising awareness on the work of the Commission and to educate public officers on the need to keep public offices corrupt-free.
She concluded by encouraging them to always report acts of corruption to the ACC through the toll free lines of 515, 077-985985, 077-986986 or in-person at the Commission’s office in Koidu.
In his statement, Chief Kpakima of Nimiyama Chiefdom, thanked the ACC for the engagement and gave a brief history of the Local Government system in Sierra Leone, and went further to highlight various challenges confronting his administration. Court Clerk of Nimiyama chiefdom, Tamba Aiah also expressed gratitude for the engagement and pleaded with Government to improve their conditions of service
