The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has presented a Report on the Systems and Processes Review conducted at the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU). The systems and processes review Report which was prepared by the Prevention Department of the Commission provides all the findings, implications and recommendations on specific issues of concerns raised by some staff, and also the findings and recommendations on the general practices and procedures of the University. The presentation took place on Wednesday, 12th July, 2023, at the Milton Margai Great Hall, Goderich Campus Freetown.
As enshrined in Section 7 (a) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 as amended in 2019, review of practices and procedures of public bodies is conducted in order to discover corruption risk areas, and to proffer recommendations to eliminate such risks and strengthen the systems.
Director of the Prevention Department, ACC, Rashid Turay, thanked the Management of the University for their co-operation during the review process. He said the review of the University’s practices and procedures was done to identify areas of corruption or system failures at the University. “It was also done to examine specific allegations or concerns raised by some staff which was forwarded to the ACC for our intervention. During the review exercise, corruption was not detected but weaknesses in the governance and administrative structure surfaced,” he said.
Mr Turay further noted that after the presentation of the Report, the Prevention Department would continue to work with the MMTU to implement the recommendations proffered to them to close the systemic gap in the institution. He urged them to start implementing these recommendations as soon as possible to avoid sanctions from the Commission.
It could be recalled that some time ago, the Commission had received a series of allegations -such as illegal dismissal, nepotism and tribalism, siphoning of salaries, sexual harassment, among others- against the leadership of the University. The Commission therefore intervened to ascertain the veracity of the allegations.
Deputy Director of the Prevention Department, Samuel Marrah Esq., during the presentation of the Report, gave a summary of the findings which border mainly on the governance structure and poor management of the institution.
Head of the ACC’s Monitoring and Compliance Unit, Ibrahim Kamara-Kay, encouraged the full participation of the institution’s Management in implementing the recommendations presented to them by the ACC, and to strengthen the Integrity Management Committee to monitor the implementation process. He admonished them to liaise with other public offices that have similar recommendations, as they would be graded on every recommendation implemented.
Chancellor of the MMTU, Dr. Victor E.A Kabia, commended the ACC for the review exercise and assured the Commission of their unwavering support to the fight against corruption. “We will read the Report and implement the recommendations, as they are all geared towards promoting transparency and accountability in the institution.
The Milton Margai Technical University is one of the renowned higher institutions of learning in Sierra Leone. It was a polytechnic institution until 2021 when it was upgraded to a University by the Government. The University operates three campuses, one at Congo Cross, Brookfields, and Goderich, which hosts most of the senior management and support services staff.
