4. The Deputy Commissioner swiftly instructed the Director of the Corruption Prevention Department, ACC, Rashid Turay, to constitute a team that will immediately commence work with the Hospital Management on the review of the Hospital’s Service Delivery Charter, the conduct of ethics and integrity training, all aimed at enhancing quality healthcare service delivery. CONTD FROM PG.1 Former President of SLAJ, Umaru Fofana, commended the current administration of SLAJ for subjecting themselves to such scrutiny. He also applauded the ACC for a brilliant review exercise and report, noting t hat most of the issues mentioned in the report were ones they have been advocating for over the years. He entreated the Ass ociation to set up a Committee to ensure that the recommendations contained in the report are implemented . Members of SLAJ at the AGM in Kenema CONTD FROM PG.2 Public Relations Assistant, Alex A. Bah, in his address, cautioned the beneficiaries against any attempt to bring anomaly into the process. He furthered that the ACC will not hesitate to arrest and c harged to court any person(s) who engage in any shenanigan that will compromise the integrity of the scheme. He advised them to plan themselves so they will put the monies into good use when they w ill have to eventually receive them. By: Alex A. Bah, Public Relations Assistant, ACC CONTD FROM PG.3 By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO, ACC By: Yangie Debora Sesay – Public Education Officer, ACC
2. Page 2 T he Prevention Department of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) has presented the findings of a Draft Systems Review Report on the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) to the executive and general membership of the Association. The presentation took place on Friday, 8th September, 2023 at the Association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Dorwaila Inn and Suites in Kenema. The Review came about as a result of a request from the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Association (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, in February 2023, for the ACC to conduct a systems review of the practices and procedures of the Association. In line with this call and mandate of the Commission, the Prevention Department conducted a holistic review on the systems and operations of SLAJ. The Deputy Director of the Pre- vention Department at ACC, Samuel Muti Marah Esq., while presenting on the findings of the Report, appreci- ated members of the Association for the collaboration and support they have al- ways rendered to the Commission through their various platforms. Mr. Marah said that the review was divided into four thematic areas namely; governance structure, income and expenditure management, assets and logistics management and project management. He noted that the draft report was made in order for the executive and general membership of the Association to discuss the findings and recommendations, and to also enable them make official responses to the contents of the draft report. The Deputy Director, Prevention Department, further presented the findings, implications and recommendations on specific issues of concern raised during interviews with some staff and membership of SLAJ, and also the findings and recommendations on the general practices and procedures of the Association. He concluded that the ACC will continue to engage SLAJ to develop proper systems and policies in the Association. Responding to the presentation of the draft report, President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, expressed appreciation to the ACC for the Commission’s prompt response to conduct the review. He assured the Commission of his unwavering commitment to ensuring the completion of the process before the end of his tenure. Deputy Director of the Prevention Department, ACC, Samuel Marah Esq. presenting on contents of the Draft Report CONTD PG.4 By: Yangie Debora Sesay – Public Education Officer, ACC President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla
3. Page 3 T he Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday 11th September, 2023, ended a five - day Verification Exercise of Beneficiaries Enlisted for the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) Project, at the Pa Alimamy Kabba II Community Center, Lumpa, Waterloo, Western Rural, Freetown. The ECT is part of the PSSNYE Government of Sierra Leone project that is supported by the World Bank and implemented by the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) and partners. This project is a five - year scheme that provides both financial and technical support to the Government's Agenda to provide Social Protection and Employment Opportunities. It also aims at providing Social Safety Schemes and Income generating opportunities to beneficiaries drawn from households living in the most abject forms of poverty, especially in the rural parts of the country. The ACC that monitors the project to instill Integrity through the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), has conducted a five - day effective verification of beneficiaries to identify any issue they have with respect to the payment of these monies intended to help ameliorate their living standards and alleviate their poverty. Addressing beneficiaries at the commencement of the Exercise, Western Area District Coordinator ACC, Elizabeth Charles informed them the role of the ACC to ensure that they as beneficiaries are able to get exactly what they are due, unhindered. She furthered that the GRM Component which the ACC handles is intended to also address any concern they have that could impede them from getting the monies. She also stated that there will be an E - Payment this time and that is why they were all given Registered Orange Money Sim Cards. Mrs. Charles further said the payment was put on hold because of the elections and that the verification is to ascertain the issues they may have emerged during the course of waiting. She advised that they should use the opportunity to make reports and be verified as to whatever the issues they have during the verification exercise have been resolved, noting that the next step will be payment. "If the sim card given to you by Orange has been missing, ensure you make a report so we record for action to be taken," she emphasized. Similar exercises were carried out in different Districts across the country . Elizabeth Charles explaining the PSSNYE process to the beneficiaries Alex A. Bah, Public Relations Assistant, ACC, highlighting the PSSNYE project to beneficiaries By: Alex A. Bah, Public Relations Assistant, ACC CONTD PG.4
1. Deputy Commissioner of ACC Augustine Foday Ngobie during the meeting with the Connaught Hospital Management Team 11th—15th September 2023 Issue 1 Volume 5 CONTD PG.4 I n what can be described as a historic and unprecedented move, a cross section of the Management of the Connaught Government Hospital, on Wednesday 6th September, 2023, called on the leadership of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC), to conduct a comprehensive review of the systems and processes at the hospital, in order to identify corruption risks and support the hospital with best practices that will eliminate those risks and vulnerabilities. The team, which comprised the Hospital Care Manager and Medical Superintendent, Dr. Ibrahim Mark Kapuwa, Senior Matron, Fatmata K. Jalloh, Hospital Secretary, Tejan Bayoh and Accountant Sununu Bah, started off by thank- ing the Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie, for the hospitality at a short notice. Dr Kapuwa in his statement underscored that they have kept track of the great work of the ACC, and as public servants, they believe working with the ACC against corruption is the best route. He said that although a lot has been done for better output, there are st ill challenges to quality service delivery in the hospital. He said the service delivery charter last reviewed two years ago is now obsolete as all the prices have changed. He also highlighted the need for integrity and ethics training for staff of the hospital, syst ems review exercise, etc. He called on the ACC to work with the Hospital Management to enable t he Hospital be more effective and efficient with service delivery, noting that “once we get it right at Connaught, we can then get it right across all other levels.” The Deputy Commissioner of ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie, in his response, appreciated the laudable venture by the Hospital Management to engage the ACC to help fight corruption in their institution. "You are among the few public administrators who have voluntarily approached the Commission and requested it to help make your systems resistant to corruption. We are pleased with this and hope others will emulate you," the Deputy Commissioner said. INTEGRITY HOUSE, TOWER HILL FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR - IN - CHIEF Abubakarr Turay EDITORS Sylvanus Blake Alex A. Bah LAYOUT & GRAPHICS Philippa M Davies EDITORIAL ADVISERS Augustine Foday Ngobie Patrick Sandi By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO, ACC Deputy Commissioner of ACC Augustine Foday Ngobie and the Connaught Hospital Management Team after the Engagement