By: Alex A. Bah, Public Relations Assistant, ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday, 27th August, 2024, commenced its 2025-2027 budget discussions with the relevant stakeholders including, officials of the Ministry of Finance, members of the Districts Budget Oversight Committees, the media and Civil Society Organizations.
This engagement was held at the Ministry of Finance Office, George Street, Freetown.
Making his succinct presentation of the 2023/2024 Report on Activities Implemented and the Budget Proposal for 2025-2027, the Deputy Commissioner of ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie said that, Cluster 4 of the National Development Plan is geared towards fighting Corruption and Illicit financial flows. This, he further stated, is well aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals to substantially reduce Corruption and Bribery in all forms.
He informed his audience that it is on that score, the Commission has established a Special Division within the High Court of Sierra Leone with the provision of adequate facilities for Judges and other court personnel to enhance speedy trial as its target by 2023-which has been achieved.
Mr. Ngobie also provided a detailed breakdown of the Commission's budget allocation and receipts in 2023 including staff cost, Capital/Development expenditure and donor funds received. "We are one model institution that has never received an audit query, which shows how disciplined we are" he averred.
The ACC's Deputy Commissioner also dilated on recoveries made thus far, stating that the Commission in 2023 recouped over 10 billion (Old) Leones which will form part of the over 45 Billion (Old) Leones recovered in the last six years and has returned same to the State.
The DC informed his listeners that the 2024 budget constitutes 72% funds provided by the Government and 28% by Donor partners, including, World Bank, UNICEF and OSIWA. These funds he added boost the operations of the Commission.
Mr. Ngobie also highlighted the numerous accomplishments in 2023 and the first half of 2024 in the aspects of prevention through numerous systems and processes reviews, aggressive public education activities, investigations and prosecutions.
He catalogued the cases charged to court; convictions secured and the numerous matters awaiting judgement. "We introduced the Non-conviction Asset Based recovery model to alternate the normal court proceedings that we have no control over, after sending matters to court. We recover monies stolen immediately with a not less than 10% interest imposed and ban from holding public office for minimum 3 years", he underscored.
The Deputy Commissioner heightened the presentation by providing a summary of the 2025 budget which is slated at 122,112,230 Leones, including Government and Donor interventions with 85.71% and 14.29% percentages respectively.
The ACC's Director, Public Education and External Outreach Department, Patrick Sandi whilst also responding to some questions, informed journalists and all present of the incentives that inform the Country's unprecedented gains in the Millennium Challenge Corporation Scorecard, jumping from a 49-failing percent in 2017 to chronicling a smashing 71 percent in 2018 and maintaining 70 percent and above for six consecutive years.
He further spoke on the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index and the Afro-Barometer rankings-which are entirely out of the control of the Commission, as excellent as they are.
Mr. Sandi also provided them the reporting channels at the Commission, whilst assuring them that as provided for by Sections 81 and 82 of the 2008 Anti-Corruption Act, as amended in 2018, there is adequate protection for informants, whistleblowers and witnesses.
Dr. Ilara Mahdi, Deputy Director of Budget, Ministry of Finance thanked the Deputy Commissioner and lauded the Commission for the hard work in making such mind-blowing recoveries and efforts to improve Integrity and Accountability. She posed a few questions which were clarified and responded to appropriately.
Climaxing the session, Dr. Mahdi moved for the adoption of the budget, which was endorsed overwhelmingly by ALL.
