By Hajaratu Kalokoh
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Sierra Leone on Thursday inaugurated a new office to serve the northwestern region of the country.
The office situated in Port Loko Town, the headquarters of the North-Western Region, is a major deliverable of the current leadership of the Commission.
ACC Commissioner, Francis Ben-Kaifala, described the event as historic as it sealed the establishment of the Commission’s offices all over the country. He called for public support to attain the goal of the creation of the Commission, which is to uproot graft.
"Our country has suffered a lot under the myth that nothing can be done about corruption; I want to challenge you all that something can indeed be done in rescuing our country from the cancer of corruption. All that is required of us all is unity of purpose," he said.
The occasion was graced by the Resident Minister of the North-Western Region, Haja Isata Abdulai Kamara, who said the development marked the beginning of the end of corruption in the region.
Mrs Abdulai said in a statement that the ACC was a valuable partner in President Bio's vision to transform Sierra Leone.
The North-West Region, which covers Kambia, Karene and Port Loko districts, is the fifth regional hub of the ACC. The Commission said the idea of establishing an office there was borne out of the desire to bring its work to the door steps of the newly established Regional hub, noting that it’s consistent with its strategic objective to making the ACC the People's Commission.
Ibrahim Santigie Bangura, Chairman of the Port Loko District Council, who also chaired the programme, expressed gratitude to the ACC for extending the fight against corruption to that part of the country. He called on the office to bolster its public education drive, noting that more people are yet to come to terms with the dangers of corruption.
Representing the Paramount Chief of the Bakeh Loko Chiefdom, Adikali Mella II, Section Speaker Chief Malapi M. A. Tarawallie stated that the people have long waited for the day, and he assured the ACC that they were wholeheartedly in support of President Bio’s war on corruption.
Councillor Hajaratu Kamara of Ward 234, Port Loko City, called on her colleague females to become players in the national effort of clamping down on graft.
"No nation can succeed in its development aspirations with rampant corruption in the public sector," she said.
The newly appointed Manager of the ACC North-West Region, Mr. Alhassan Sesay, gave the vote of thanks and assured all present that the fight against corruption in the region would be highly robust.
© 2019 Politico Online
