By: Alex A. Bah, Public Relations Assistant, ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday 28th August, 2023, benefited from a capacity building training at its Conference Room, Third Floor, Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown.
This training was organized by Commissioning a Life of Integrity, which is a Canadian based organization that provides training support to various State institutions across the world.
Welcoming the trainers, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie thanked the experts for coming in for the second time to provide training on Living or Championing a Life marked by sheer integrity. He divulged staff's eagerness to learn and acquire knowledge in the bid to consolidate the huge efforts and great strides of the Commission to curb Corruption.
The ACC Deputy Chief maintained that as with the previous training, he firmly hopes that the current one will provide the much needed knowledge and further equip staff with relevant techniques and abilities to have the ACC up its game. "After the training, we are certainly going to be empowered in the performance of our duty", the DC emphasized.
Bill Pipke commenced his presentation by defining integrity as "doing what you ought to do even if it costs you". He advanced the compelling importance of being upright in service and always do that which is meant to be done no matter what implication may follow. "Integrity may not seem attractive at first, but in the long run it really is" he averred.
The Trainer articulated the importance of influence adding that it is something everybody carries. He noted different kinds of influence that he said include; Positional, Charismatic, Expert, Moral, Spiritual, Relational, among others.
He however emphasized on the importance of Moral influence that he said everyone must possess, hone and protect.
Bruce Mann, one of the Trainers, in his presentation, offered an insight on dignity, noting that it is an extremely vital trait that everyone must possess.
He said dignity has both inward and outward impact as it helps us understand the value of ourselves by placing it highly in our lives.
He quoted the notable German Philosopher Immanuel Kant, that posited, "dignity ensures the equal and inherent worth of every individual".
"If l know my worth, l will also know your worth", Bruce noted that dignity values our differences. He said that Dignity is God's gift to us and it requires us to repudiate pride and find pleasure in embracing and supporting each other, as we impel others treatment to us by our actions towards them.
Earlier in his statement, Director, Public Education and External Outreach Department ACC, Patrick Sandi applauded the team for their second visit to the ACC to not just train staff of Headquarters, but also ensure the training benefits other ACC Regional Offices.
He welcomed them on behalf of the Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. adding that the Commission, being an Integrity Outfit, places primacy on routine empowerment of its staff through these tailored trainings.
Drawing the training to its closure, the Deputy Director of the Public Education and External Outreach Department, Abubakarr Turay, thanked Bruce and Bill from Canada, including Desmond Johnson who serves as the Country Director of Transform Sierra Leone, which is a subsidiary of the Commissioning a Lifestyle of Integrity.
Mr Turay reiterated that the Commission places significance to the training, and that informs the inclusion of staff from different Departments. He assured the trainers that the Commission will make do with training to further improve on its work, and share the knowledge and information gained to our colleagues and communities.
It should be noted that, these experts are set to replicate the training to ACC Staff in Port Loko and Makeni on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th August, 2023 respectively, as Bo and Kenema had also benefited from similar training in March 2023.
