The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Regional Office in Kono has, on the 16^th and 17^th August, 2022, held community outreach meeting with stakeholders and residents of Sandor Chiefdom and alongside met with health workers and security personnel.

Speaking at the meetings held in Baudu and Workor communities, the Regional Manager-ACC Kono, Hawanatu Omotayo Kamara, informed the audience that these meetings are part of the Commission’s public education drive in preventing corruption by empowering them with the right knowledge on corruption, including what corruption is, how it can be mitigated and promptly reported.

She encouraged them to closely monitor community development activities in their various localities in order to ensure value for money and further added that the Commission’s operations are informed by the reports and complaints made by members of the public regarding the occurrence of corruption. Manager Hawantu Kamara read the toll free lines and explained the other channels of reporting corruption to the Commission. She told them that whistleblowers are key in the fight against corruption and as a result, the Commission provides for the protection of its informants and witnesses, noting also that, whistleblowers are rewarded with a 10% of the proceeds recovered by the ACC from an individual or institution reported.

In a related engagement with health workers and security personnel in the chiefdom, Hawanatu highlighted several provisions in the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 as amended in 2019, which increased the powers of the Commission to better deal with the problem of corruption. Manager Kamara informed the health workers and security personnel of the several complaints made by members of the public in relation to bribery, payment for free healthcare services and facilities and many more. She appealed to them to desist from such activities, which are unacceptable and would amount to corruption.

Speaking on behalf of the Health Workers at the Kayima Health Center, Saidu Sandwa said, they have been discharging their duties diligently. He therefore asked his colleagues to refrain from such practices in the health center if they are engaged in them.

Chief Inspector Tamba I. Conteh, Officer in Charge of Yormandu Police Post, noted that, his officers and members of the Local Police Partnership Board have been working cordially with the community people under the community policing partnership agreements. He also agreed to strengthen ethical standards in the discharge of their duties in the chiefdom going forward.  

ACC Public Education Officer, Kono, Hawa Deen Conteh who spoke on ethics in the workplace stated that ethics is a key component of integrity that guides the behavior and conduct of public officers to make sound decision in the lines of duty. She also did a step by step online asset declaration process for the health workers and other public officials in the meeting, and encouraged them to maintain high ethical standards in their daily operations.