By: Alhaji A.K Bangura, Senior Communications Officer & Samuel Junisa Sankoh, Senior Public Education Officer
The Public Education and External Outreach (PEO) team of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), with funding from the World Bank, UNICEF, and the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) has on Friday 21st June, 2024 concluded exhaustive and intensive three (3) different town hall meetings on the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) project and the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) sensitization of cash transfer,which had commenced on Thursday 20th June, 2024 in the North West Region of Sierra Leone.
Two (2) awareness raising meetings on the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) project were held in Port Loko and Kambia Districts on Thursday 20th June, 2024. The first was convened at the Bundulai Town Hall along the Port Loko – Lungi highway, whilst the second was organized at the Paramount Chief Bai Shebora Lion II Court Barray in Mambolo Town, Mambolo Chiefdom, Kambia District. The third and final PSSNYE/GRM sensitization was held at the Kamakwei Town Court barray, Sella Limba Chiefdom in Karene District on Friday 21st June, 2024.
Key stakeholders, including the aged, persons with disabilities and youth, formed targeted beneficiaries, after thorough mapping for sequential process of the PSSNYE project.
Senior Communications Officer, Alhaji Abdul Karim Bangura, described the PSSNYE as a 42-Million USDollar World Bank project implemented by the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Youth Affairs and local councils across the country. The five-year project is meant to provide employment to young people, direct cash transfer to the aged and other vulnerable groups, and support to communities affected by natural disasters, he averred.
He further explained that the engagement geared towards sensitizing and empowering prospective beneficiaries with regards the different components of the project. More importantly, the Commission desired that they fully understand and grasp their dos and don’ts, much more directed where to seek redress whenever they feel dissatisfied, aggrieved, bullied, or cheated. Alhaji A.K. Bangura gave confidence and hope to his listeners that the Commission has fully resolved to maintain a corrupt-free PSSNYE project implementation.
Speaking on the role of the ACC in the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) project, Head of Public Education Unit (HOU), ACC, Michael Sesay said the ACC is monitoring the entire process as well as addressing grievances emanating from the PSSNYE. He underscoredACC’s involvement in the PSSNYE project, something that has brought about a high level of donor trust and confidence. Mr. Sesay further disclosed that even though some challenges fraught the project, through the intervention of the Commission’s Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), almost all of those challenges have been addressed.
Mr. Sesay also encouraged the prospective beneficiaries to understand that the PSSNYE project has been immeasurably expanded to include skilled youths of various categories of public works and entrepreneurship. He urged attendees to make better use of the accorded opportunities which focused on improving their livelihoods as well as ameliorate strains, hardships and untold sufferings meted out on them due to their socio-economic status.
Senior Communications Officer, ACC, Margaret A. Jones, carefully dilated on the many operational corruption reporting channels at the Commission. She explained that aggrieved persons should always report corruption to the ACC in a bid to get their grievances addressed. In light of that, she called on the beneficiaries to be consistent and resolute in reporting incidences of alleged corruption without any malice, through the toll-free lines of 8515 (Africell) 077 985-985 or 077 986-986.
