By: Amadu Wurie Timbo
After a bit more than half a year pause, said to have caused by financial and some other manifested challenges, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in the North-East Region of the Republic of Sierra Leone has on Wednesday 3rd August, 2022, circled-back to its traditional quarterly meetings with the Media and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
Hosted at its office sited at Mena Hills in Makeni, BombaliJudicial District Northern-Eastern Sierra Leone, the epic meeting attracted many journalists from both print and electronic media and representatives from various CSOs, met and discussed on reinforcing partnership that provides values to the commission in heightening good scores in the fight against Corruption in that part of the country.
The meeting was chaired by Aiah Sourie the Commission’s Public Education Unit regional Lead who in his opening remarks incredibly expressed gratitude to the Media and CSOs personnel for their long-existing backing in the robust fight against Corruption in the region and the country at large. Pointing out that, Journalists and SCOs have been major factors in mitigating the evil practice of corruption through by engaging the citizenry of Sierra Leone on corrupt activities and their corresponding penalties, exposing corrupt officials, are amongst many others.
Adding, he requested for the Media and CSOs to remain braced with the commission to do away with the dire practice of corruption which is widely being regarded as a livelihood by those broadly regarded as traitors of the land. Matching statement of this was also made by Abdul Karim Bangura the commission’s Senior Education Officer in the North-East Region who earlier in his ‘welcome address’ statement emphatically disclosed that, the successes of the commission can’t be celebrated without thanking the Media and CSOs, regarding them as key elements towards the red-hot achievements of the commission and therefore pleaded both to remain steadfast in the good course of fighting against corruption.
Updating on ACC activities, Madam Mariama Navo the ACC Regional Manager in the North-East Region revealed that, the Anti-Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone is magnificently doing well in tackling corruption, progressing upwardly from 117 in 2020 to 115 in 2021 out of 180 countries surveyed in the 2021 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, 33 in Millennium Challenge Cooperation-(MCC), having now Resident Prosecutors and Prevention Officers in regions across the country, courts have now provided specific days for corruption cases and amazingly, through its regional office in the North-East region, ACC has tied the first ever record of getting verdict in favour for Academic malpractice with Foday Sullayman who was caught cheating, indicted in 2021 and convicted in July 2022 for the said offence.
Widely revealing more developments of the commission, Madam Navo spoke to attendees on the ACC increased Jail terms and cash payment for offences shifting from three (3) years to five (5) years imprisonment and its equivalent from NLe30,000 to NLe50,000 per count, having the powers to halt and summon the National Public Procurement Authority-(NPPA) if suspected in appropriating, issuing penalties for non-compliance, prosecuting those on the run in their absentiaand rewarding 10% whistle blowing to whistle blowers are few amongst others saved achievements of the commission.
Responding as participants, Journalists and CSOs representatives tabled suggestions and meaningful questions around the chatted topics of the event that were brightly answered by the Manager and her team. Conclusively, invitees jointly avowed to be playing good roles accurately and effectively in order to prevent the commission’s outstanding records from melting down.
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