As part of its corruption-prevention mechanisms in the public sector, the Public Education Unit of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) office in Kono has held a customized meeting with staff of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) in Koidu, Kono District. The objective of the meeting was to sensitize staff of NCRA on the ills of corruption and the benefits of instilling integrity in public service delivery.
While speaking at the event, Public Education Officer of the ACC Sam P Gorga, highlighted the need for all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to pay full attention to the implementation of the current National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), which guides public office on ways to eradicate corruption. Mr Gorga made reference to some of the corruption offences in the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 as amended in 2019, warning the public officers to be very mindful of such offences. He spoke on the importance of integrity, transparency and accountability in the delivery of public services for the benefit of citizens.
Public Education Officer of the ACC Hawa Deen Conteh applauded the NCRA staff for their activities in ensuring that citizens can boast of a national data system which includes voters’ identity cards. She said the ACC is not conducting a witch-hunt on public officials but working to mainstream integrity and transparency in the public sector. She emphasized the need for collaboration between the ACC and other public institutions for a robust fight against corruption.
The Regional Manager of the NCRA Sheku Tarawaly, while addressing the meeting, expressed his gratitude to the ACC and reaffirmed his institution’s commitment to the fight against corruption. He said their mandate relates to the registration of all citizens and non-citizens for the development of the National Civil Register; and ensuring that every resident of Sierra Leone be provided with a National Identity Card. He said they have also partnered with NEC in their voter registration process. Mr Tarawally also said that the NCRA, in 2018, were mandated to clean up the Government pay roll during which time nine thousand ghost workers were deleted from the national pay roll as a means of minimizing fraud.
