4. Contd from Pg 1 " He cautioned the staff and management to quickly establish the necessary frameworks, such as creating a gift register, setting up Integrity Management Committees (IMC), and a Service Charter. He mentioned that this has been implemented in many MDAs and has assisted in preventing corruption, which will ultimately result in the public receiving high - quality health services. Assistant Prosecutor, ACC, Georgina C.M. Vincent, reminded management and staff of the hospital during her presentation that the Anti - Corruption Act of 2008, as amended in 2019, has stiff fines and offences that were purposefully designed to discourage corruption and lower its incidences. She also reminded them of their legal obligation to abide by the Act's provisions, stressing that breaking the law is never an ac- ceptable justification. She also brought up the changes made to some sections of the Anti - Corruption Act 2008 in 2019, pointing out the one that calls for severe penalties and fines as well as the recovery of money that has been embezzled. She encouraged the medical staff to carry out their responsibilities within the bounds of the law and abstain from any act that could lead to an ACC investigation. ACC’s Public Education Officer, Yangie D. Sesay, acknowledged that combating corruption should be viewed as a civic duty shared by all citizens rather than just the ACC's domain. In light of some of the rules in the health code of ethics, she challenged them to put the anti - corruption principles they had learned into practice. She also urged them to respect the words of the National Pledge, take pride in acting morally, and to call out the dishonest. Miss Sesay shared with them the various means of reporting corruption to the Commission, while at the same time assuring them of confidentiality. swift actions to address corruption allegations in the Audit Reports, on the spot raids and arrests, recovery of stolen wealth and assets, and many more. Investor Confidence: Also the CPI is closely watched by investors, businesses, and international organizat ions as an indicator of the investment climate and business environment in different countries including Sierra Leone. Those with higher perceived levels of corruption may face greater scrutiny and risk in attracting much - needed direct foreign I nvestment and conducting business. Public Awareness: In addition, the CPI raises public awareness about the prevalence and detrimental effects of corruption, fostering greater public engagement and demand for accountability and transparency in governance. The TI - CPI has been an avenue of added pressure on the Government and the ACC to take further robust actions to address corruption and improve the nation’s standings and ranking International Relations: Likewise, the CPI can impact diplomatic relations and international cooperation, as countries seek to improve their anti - corruption credentials and strengthen partnerships with other nations and organizations committed to fighting corruption. In this regard, Sierra Leone which used to be cons idered a bastion of corruption is now one of the respected nations based on the same respected and highly recognized indexes a nd ratings that had said otherwise up until 2017. Media Attention: Lastly, every release of the CPI typically generates significant and frenzied media attention, ignit ing discussions and debates about corruption and governance issues in countries around the world includi ng Sierra Leone that are part of the TI - CPI, and putting pressure on Governments and institutions to address shortcomings highlighted in the index. In conclusion, the Corruption Perceptions Index plays a vital role in promoting transparenc y, accountability, and integrity in public and private sectors globally, and serves as a catalyst for further actions to comba t corruption and promote good governance. It provides the ACC with the much needed impetus and direction to keep pushing and doing so appropriately. If we are where we are today, we can keep pushing to go to where we need to be By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO - ACC Contd from Pg 2

1. 19th —23d February 2024 Issue 2 Volume 5 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 Head of the Policy and Ethics Unit at the ACC, Musa Kanteh, started off with his remarks. According to him, this quotation ought to act as a warning that every dishonest act or blunder can damage one's hard - earned rep- utation, proving that corruption enters a pe r- son's life via treat and temptation. He cau- tioned the 34 Military staff to exercise cau- tion when accepting gifts, pointing out that some are meant for a corrupt purpose. He counseled them to base their decisions on the law, regulations, guidelines and best practices. “Moral values, codes of conduct and ethical transparency are important forces in the fight against corruption," Mr Kan- teh noted. "It is important to identify corruption risks and issues in order to detect and strengthen institutional strategies aimed at preventing corrupt conduct." This is according to the Joint Medical Unit Commander of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) Colonel Dr. Stephen Sevalie, who made the remarks during an interactive meeting on Wednesday, 21 st February, 2024, at the Disease Prevention Control Center, Wilberforce, in Freetown.The meeting was facilitated by the Anti - Corruption Commission's (ACC) Public Education Unit. Colonel Dr Sevalie stated that although this is ACC's first interaction with the hospital staff, they were happy to have the team, fully aware that the engagement is for the benefit of the staff'. According to Michael Sesay, Head of the ACC's Public Education Unit, corruption still affects vulnerable and marginalized groups in the health sector, depriving them of their rights to adequate healthcare. He went on to say that there are serious implications for reaching universal health coverage if health services are not accessible, of high quality, efficient, and effective. This is why, according to him, the Commission has focused on educating employees on the dos and don'ts of corruption within Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. He came to the conclusion that putting strong anti - corruption measures in place is essential to accomplishing programs meant to enhance everyone's quality of life. "A journey of a thousand mile is determined by the conduct of an hour," Head of Policy and Ethics, ACC, Musa Kanteh speaking on corruption risks in hospitals Contd on pg 4 By Yangie D. Sesay, Public Education Officer, Staff of 34 Military Hospital listening to corruption messages

3. Page 3 A s part of its mandate to sensitize the public against the ills of corruption, the benefits of a corrupt free so- ciety and solicit their support in the fight against corruption, the Outreach Unit of Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) on 7 th February, 2024, engaged the Bike Riders Union of Dwazark Community, to update them on the activities of the Commission and the dangers of corruption to the survival of Sierra Leone. The meeting also highlighted the significant role played by the informal sector - the Bike Riders, in the areas of revenue generation to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. Dilating on the purpose of the meeting, Senior Communications Officer, Margaret Jones expressed delight for the engagement with bike riders. She informed them that the Commission recognizes their contribution to the transport sector and that the Public Education and External Outreach Department was rolling out its mandate to educate citizens on the dangers of corruption, the benefits of a corrupt free society and to enlist their support in the fight against the menace. She further explained that the Commission has been receiving complaints from the general public regarding corruption in the transport sector, thereby necessitating this engagement. She emphasized that this engagement with the bike riders is a frank talk as the doors of the ACC are always open to receive any suspected reports on corruption. Giving an overview and update of the Commission’s activities, Public Education Officer, Hawa Deen Conteh explained that the ACC was established in 2000 by an Act of Parliament to investigate all instances of suspected corruption. She continued that over the years, the Act of 2000 was repealed in 2008 and later in 2019, the Act was amended. She outlined the roles and responsibilities of the various Departments in the Commission. Ha- wa Deen Conteh further updated her audience on various activities under- taken by the Commission cataloging the successes scored over the years. The Public Education Officer, also highlighted the Commis- sion’s effort in recovering misappropriated public funds and spoke about recent allegations of corruption involving the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA), and the Accountant General’s Department in which Billions of (Old) Leones were recovered by the Commission. She concluded by commending the Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. for the gains made in the fight against corruption. ACC’s Public Education Officer, Shiaka Kamara, dilated on the importance of making reports to the Commission, and read out the toll free lines: 077 - 985 - 985 and 077 - 986 - 986, admonishing the bike riders not to make malicious or false reports to the Commission. Earlier, welcoming all to the meeting, the Acting Deputy Chairman, Bike Riders Union, Dwazark Community, Gabriel Crispin Williams, expressed appreciation to the team for the sensitization on issues of corruption, particularly those relating to the transport sector. Mr. Williams commended the Commissioner and staff of the Public Education Officer, ACC, Shiaka Kamara, explaining to the Riders how to report acts of corrup- Snr. Communications Officer, ACC, Margaret Jones explaining the reasons for the engagement By Hawa Deen Conteh, Public Education Officer, ACC. Hawa Deen Conteh addressing the Bike Riders at the engagement Commission for their hard work and dedication to duty in ensuring that corruption is minimized in the country. He encouraged colleague bike riders to be attentive and take the message to those who are not in the meeting. He further high- lighted concerns of frequent police harassment including their daily bookings and court cases. He questioned the uti- lization of monies collected by the police and urged the Commission to intervene. The meeting end- ed with renewed commit- ment from the Bike Riders Union and the ACCto contin- ue to collaborate in the fight against corruption to en- sure transparency and integrity within their operations.

2. By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO - ACC Page 2 efforts in the fight against corruption, performed better than the A verage Score in Sub - Saharan Africa of 33 for the fourth year in succession (score of 35 in 2023) and has consistently improved in the past four years. The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is an annual ranking published by Transparency International (TI), a global non - governmental organization dedicated to combating corruption. The CPI provides a comprehensive assessment of perceived corruption levels in countries around the world, based on data collected from various credible sources, including surveys of experts, business leaders, and citizens. Transparency International launched the Corruption Perceptions Index in 1995 as a tool to raise awareness about the extent and impact of corruption worldwide. It aims to shine a light on the prevalence of corruption in different countries, thereby fostering efforts to promote accountability and transparency, and driving reforms to combat corruption. The CPI is widely regarded as one of the most authoritative and influential means of measuring corruption perception globally. Despite the commanding and commendable progress Sierra Leone has continued to make at all international and local indexes and surveys on efforts at controlling and combating corruption, one of the intriguing questions has been, the significance of these indexes and surveys to our fight against I n the just released TI - CPI Report, on 30 th January 2024, Sierra Leone for the fifth (5 th ) consecutive year since 2018, progressed remarkably upwards in the most respected Global Cor- ruption Country Rankings, moving from 110 in 2022 to 108 out of 180 countries surveyed in the 2023 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (TI - CPI). Sierra Leone also increased its 2022 score of thirty - four (34) to thirty - five (35) in 2023, which is above the average score for sub - Saharan Africa, of Thirty - three (33), and the highest the country has ever recorded since the CPI rankings began in 1995. In five years consistently, Sierra Leone has now moved Twenty - two (22) places upwards on the CPI, from 130 in 2017 to 108 in 2023. By the report , Sierra Leone now leads Seventy - Two (72) countries in the global campaign against corruption, including Thirty - One (31) African countries, among which are; Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya, Angola, Madagascar, Mozam- bique, Niger and Libya. Although this year’s CPI shows mixed results in Africa, with significant improvements in a few countries, however, most African countries experienced stagnation, maintaining the region’s consistently poor overall performance, with an unaltered regional average score of 30”. Nonetheless, Sierra Leone, which has been doing well on all fronts in the monitoring and assessment of corruption, which I will attempt to answer in the following briefs; Benchmarking: Firstly, the index provides a comparative assessment of corruption levels across countries, enabling policymakers, civil society organizations, and the public to identify trends, track progress, and benchmark their performance against regional and global peers. Advocacy: Secondly, the CPI serves as a powerful advocacy tool for Transparency International and other anti - corruption advocates including ACC Sierra Leone, highlighting the urgent need for action to address corruption and holding governments and institutions accountable for their commitments to combat corruption. Policy Reform: Thirdly, the CPI often motivates governments to enact legislative, policy, and institutional re- forms aimed at improving transparen- cy, strengthening accountability mech- anisms, and enhancing anti - corruption measures to improve their ranking and reputation on the global stage. Sierra Leone has taken several radical actions, especially under the leadership of Francis Ben Kaifala Esq, in this regard, including but not limited to the; development of strong National Anti - Corruption Strat- egies, amendment of the 2008 Anti - Corruption Act in 2019, string and Contd on pg 4