4. compatriots to take for themselves and their families the little assets that belong to all of us.’’ He pledged the Commission’s commitment and determination to work with the NAGPC and other MDAs towards the full actualization of our joint mandates. ‘’We will support you within the legal framework to fully retrieve all public assets. Be rest assured’’. The Deputy Commissioner concluded. In his contribution, the Executive Secretary, NAGPC, Victor V. Kamara stated that the ACC’s partnership with the NAGPC have given them the much needed clout, stature and authority to recover, locate, register, and protect state and public assets. He called on persons who are unwittingly occupying State and public properties/ houses to hand them over to the rightful authority immediately, adding that, the NAGPC will ensure the total recovery of all public assets.. Also present at the meeting were, the Coordinator of Operations ACC, Emmanuel K. Amara Esq., and the Director of Public Education and External Outreach Department ACC, Patrick Sandi, who also made meaningful contributions on the need and forms of possible partnerships and collaboration between the Commission and the NAGPC. . The meeting ended on a rejuvenated and renewed note of commitment from the leaderships of both institutions to ful- ly recover all public and State assets that have been con- verted and diverted by persons for their personal gains. CONTD FROM PG.2 CONTD FROM PG.3 As the current strategy comes to an end in December, Mr. Kamara furthered that they have established Integrity Management Committees (IMCs) in almost 95 percent of MDAs, which has precipitated the giant push in the Afro - Barometer Report. “We have mainstreamed anti - corruption issues and have functional IMCs in the public sector,” adding that, all the 22 Local Councils across the country, and 53 MDAs were covered, Mr. Kamara said. The NACS Director also stated that the strategy contained 832 action points for implementation by both the Local Councils and MDAs. He said, out of this number, the Local Councils had 245 action points and implemented 242, which gives a 99% compliance rate, while MDAs had 587 action points and implemented 529, indicating a 90% compliance rate. The farewell ceremony was climaxed by the issuance of meritorious certificates to all the Steering Committee Members namely; Francess Alghali, Lavina Banduah, Joshua Nicol, Ahmed Sahid Nasrallah, Emile Carr, Jonathan Kpakiwa, Abu Bockarie Conteh, and Winston Mella Jalloh. The occasion was chaired by the Deputy Director, Assets Declaration Unit, ACC, (then Deputy Director NACS) Edita Fofana, and the vote of thanks given by Zainab Othman the current Deputy Director NACS. By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO - ACC By: Bernard Abass Kargbo–Public Education Officer, ACC

1. 13th - 17th November 2023 Issue 1 Volume 14 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 HIGHLIGHT. For this student from Sierra Leo- ne, the journey is as beautiful and REWARDING as the DESTINATION ." journey from being called from the Classroom at UT Austin to champion the fight against Corruption in Sierra Leone and on the African Continent." Commenting on his recent feature in the School's Newsletter, he said; "When I joined the Harvard Law School’s LLM programme, it was a deliberate decision to tap into the World’s Premier network of LEADERS and MINDS. Incidentally, I came in when it is the 100th Anniversary of Harvard’s amazing LLM programme - and here I am as one of its T he Commissioner of the Anti - Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone (ACC - SL), Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. who is currently enrolled in the Prestigious Law School of the Revered Harvard University continues to excel as he has most recently been featured in the Newsletter Publication of the School, spotlighting its most distinguished students. The ACC Boss who recently delivered an awe - inspiring talk to the Harvard African Law Association (HALA) at its general meeting, on PRACTICING AS A LAWYER in Africa is also set to share insights with the Harvard Law School on the 15th November, 2023, on his "...remarkable

2. Page 2 T he Chairman of the National Assets and Government Property Commission (NAGPC), David Panda Noah and his Executive Secretary Victor V. Kamara on Wednesday 15 th November 2023, paid a courtesy call on the leadership of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) at its Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown. Thanking the Deputy Commissioner, ACC Augustine Fo- day Ngobie and team for hosting them at a short notice, Mr. Noah ex- pressed profound appreciation to the Leadership and Management of the ACC for the support it continues to provide to the NAGPC as it continues to work on fulfilling its mandate. He furthered that since his appointment by His Excellency, Brigadier (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, on the 9 th October, 2023, he has realized that the ACC and NAGPC have had a viable and mutually beneficial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Mr. Panda Noah also stated that the NAGPC wants to identify and digitize all Government Assets and Properties which will help in preventing the wanton siphoning and conversion of public and govern- ment assets by certain individuals. He said that the NAGPC Act of 1990 is old fashioned, cannot address adequately the ever increasing and dynamic issues around Government, therefore, in need of urgent reforms. ‘’We continue to rely strongly on the very proactive, robust and result - packed ACC from much need- ed support. Working with the ACC has helped project the NAGPC as a better institution and we are here to seek a furtherance of this already progressive and pragmatic partnership. We have to go after the stolen public assets and we can only do so successfully with the support of a strong partner like you’’, David Panda Noah noted. He called the ACC to help the NAGPC build a strong and effective integrity and work system that will help her deliver on its mandate. Speaking to the team, the ACC’s Deputy Commissioner, Augustine Fo- day Ngobie on behalf of the Peoples’ Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., welcomed the team and assured them of the unflinching support of the ACC. He stated that the doors of the ACC’s Integrity House are always open to receive and relate with partners who come ACC’s Deputy Commissioner, Augustine Foday Ngobie speaking on the existing partnership with NAGPC seeking to work with the ACC. ‘’I wish to thank you for taking this bold step. While some may choose not to, without reason, you have done the good and appropriate thing, by coming to seek an advancement of our already thriving relationship. We applaud this and will use this opportunity to call on others to feel free to relate with us. Together we can build our systems and make them resistant to corruption’’, the Deputy Commissioner averred. He further stated that the ACC has the mandate to protect public properties and assets, and will continue to work with the NAGPC to ensure the adequate and effective protection of all government and public assets. ‘’No one should convert or siphon public assets to their personal ownership. This is wrong and injurious to the nation and it is an unpatriotic act. Such assets must be recovered and those who play an active part must be fully held accountable. We cannot afford to seat arms folded and allow our By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO - ACC Chairman, Teaching Service Commission, Lawa Keifala, giving his data - driven analysis CONTD PG.4 Group photo after the courtesy visit

3. Page 3 The Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday, 13 th November, 2023, bade farewell to the Steering Committee members of the Fourth Generation of the National Anti - Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2019 - 2023 at the Commission’s Conference Room, Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown. The National Anti - Corruption Strategy is a framework for fighting corruption in Sierra Leone, with the main aim of mainstreaming anti - corruption measures in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government in order to build strong institutions. It stems from the provisions of the United Nation Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) to which Sierra Leone is a signatory. The UNCAC mandates Member States to develop a national strategy to combat corruption. The current Strategy (2019 - 2023) which is the 4 th Generation ends in December this year. The Steering Committee, which sits in the Office of the Vice President, was chaired by the Minister of State, Vice President’s Office, Francess Alghali (who is currently the Deputy Minister Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation), and they served as the guarantors of the strat- egy. They were responsible for compelling MDAs and Local Councils who fall short of their responsibilities in the implementation of the strategy to act according to the dictates of the strategy. Their composition was drawn from diverse sections of society including; the media, civil society organizations, the public and private sectors and senior citizens. Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie, in his statement, commended the outgoing Steering Committee Members for their unflagging support in the imple- mentation of the strategy. Mr. Ngobie stressed on the idea of having people who are not staff of the Commission to get involved in the implementation of the strategy to ensure that anti - corruption measures are mainstreamed in the public sector. He called on his listeners to put all hands on deck in helping the Commission in the fight against corruption. Mr. Ngobie further expressed gratitude for the tremendous work done by the outgoing members and encouraged them to always support the Commission whenever called upon. “One assurance you have given me is your willingness to continue contributing towards the fight against corruption in not only implementing the strategy but in every aspect of the fight,” he noted. Giving updates on the NACS 2019 - 2023, the Director of the NACS Secretariat, Nabillahi - Musa Kamara, acknowledged the tremendous efforts and commitment shown by the committee during the lifespan of the strategy. He said the NACS “is a mandate we got as a result of us being a State - Party to the UNCAC, and also by virtue of Section 5 (1)(c) of the Anti - Corruption Act 2008 as Amended in 2019,” adding that from a national and international perspective, Sierra Leone is obligated to craft a National Anti - Corruption Strategy every five years. Deputy Commissioner ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie and cross - section of Directors and Steering Committee Members ACC’s Deputy Commissioner presenting a certificate to the Chairperson of the Steering Committee, Hon. Francess Alghali Deputy Commissioner ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie, commending the Steering Committee Members CONTD PG.4 By: Bernard Abass Kargbo–Public Education Officer, ACC