The Regional Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Kono on the 15th March, 2022 held a customized meeting with staff of the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) in Koidu aimed at strengthening partnership and to improve service delivery and reduce corruption opportunities in the telecommunication sector.
In her statement during the session, ACC’s Regional Manager, Hawanatu O. Kamara, said that the ACC recognizes and appreciates the functions of NATCOM in regulating the operations of the country’s telecommunications industry. She emphasized that, as a reputable service delivery institution, NATCOM staff should always adhere to best practices in their operations and not engage in acts of corruption.
The Regional Manager also reminded the staff about the high rate of convictions the ACC has secured against public officers on various corruption offences including; soliciting and accepting an advantage, abuse of office and position, conflict of interest, misappropriation of public funds and property, among others.
Mrs Kamara further informed the staff about the online declaration of income, assets and liabilities by public officers as mandated by the AC Act 2008 as amended in 2019 and urged everyone to complete the process by the 31st of March to avoid the penalties stipulated in the Act. “The primary objective of the declaration of income, assets and liabilities is to promote integrity, accountability and transparency in public service,’’ she said.
In its efforts to sustain and consolidate the exceptional gains made in the fight against corruption under the leadership of Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., Senior Public Education Officer, Sam P. Gogra, informed the audience that the Commission has reintroduced the reward and incentives scheme for informants, whistleblowers and other patriotic citizens who give reliable information to the Commission. “If such information reported to the Commission leads to the recovery of funds, a 10% reward will be given to the informant out of the proceeds withheld by the Commission,” he said. He assured the NATCOM staff of the Commission’s protection from any form of victimization resulting from the report made.
He shared the ACC toll free lines of 515,077-985985/986986 to make report. “You are also at liberty to visit any of the Commission’s offices in Freetown, Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Kono and Port Loko,” he admonished.
The Senior Officer of NATCOM in the district Alhassan Bendu expressed his profound gratitude for the engagement, describing it as timely and very educative. He promised, on behalf of his staff, to always support the ACC in its endeavours to win the fight against corruption.
