The Deputy Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Augustine FodayNgobie has on Thursday, 24^th April, 2024, faced the scrutiny of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments following his re-appointment as Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, by His Excellency, the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio.

In the Committee Room No. 1, the Deputy Commissioner Augustine FodayNgobie responded to questions asked by the Committee members comprising eleven (11) Honorable members from the two political parties in Parliament-The Sierra Leone Peoples Party and the All Peoples Congress Party. The Parliamentary Appointments Committee is responsible for the interviewing and vetting of Presidentialnominees before their final approval in the Well of Parliament.

Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma, Chairman of the Committee and Leader of Government Business in the House of Parliament started the vetting process by asking Augustine FodayNgobie about the content of the documents he had presented to Parliament earlier. Documents such as his Assets Declaration, Academic Certificates, Bank Statements, among others, were carefully vetted to ensure their authenticity. Hon. Nyuma asked the Deputy Commissioner about the operations of the Commission and his work over the years.

As the vetting process continued, questions were asked by Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay, Hon. Emilia Lohloh Tongi, Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, Hon. Abdul K. Kamara, Hon. Francis Amara Kaisamba, to name but a few. They asked questions relating to, the strategies employed by the Commission in combating corruption, the representation of women in the operations of the Commission, the independence of the Commission and the use of the Scorpion Squad to intervene into schools in the Provinces too, in regard to cases of admissions into Senior Secondary Schools.

Responding to these questions, Deputy Commissioner Mr. Ngobie brilliantly stated that the Commission has deployed several strategies over the years through systems reviews conducted in MDAs which has limited the presence of corruption, robust public education across the country, the scorpion squad which is an intelligence led and very effective team, asset declaration. “Several Investigations have been conducted which has led to indictments and convictions of persons and the recovery of Millions of New Leones and Properties” he said. He catalogued the gains made by the Commission and the significant progress in the fight against corruption in the Afro-Barometer 2023. Mr. Ngobie further told the Parliamentarians that concerning female representation and the 30% quota for women, the ACC has exceeded the requirement, as it has three female Managers in the five Regional Offices of the Commission, which are, in Makeni, Kono and Portloko. He also said the Investigation and Human Resource Departmentsare headed by females; whilst the Asset Declaration and Administrative Departments have females as Deputy Directors. The Deputy Commissioner assured the Committee members that the Commissioner even though he is away has been very supportive to him. He added that they have been in close and constant consultation through phone calls, emails and whatsapp regarding the operations of the ACC and the fight agianst corruption in Sierra Leone.

It could be recalled that on the 5^{th April, 2024, Augustine Foday Ngobie was re-appointed as Deputy Commissioner of the ACC for final five-year term.}

Mr. Ngobie joined the Commission in 2003 and has held several positions within the ACC. Untilhis appointment as Deputy Commissioner ACC in 2019, he was Deputy Director Intelligence and Investigations Department. In his capacity as Deputy Commissioner, he has received numerous Awards and Accolades for his outstanding work and leadership.