By Mabinty M Kamara
Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have met for the validation of their score cards on the implementation of the National Anti Corruption Strategy (NACS), a dispatch from the Anti Corruption Commission said.
The validation of the performance score cards is in line with measures taken by the MDA’s to address key corruption areas that hinder service delivery in Sierra Leone, the Commission said in a report.
Ady Macauley, the head of the Anti-Corruption Commission, said in the statement that the exercise was in line with President Ernest Bai Koroma’s agenda for prosperity.
He said MDAs had to be assessed on progress made in the implementation of measures that tackle malpractices and malfeasance in the workplace. Improving on service delivery is a key benchmark in recording achievement in the Agenda for Prosperity, he said, adding that this required periodic monitoring and evaluation, and that the validated report contained progress and achievements made in the implementation of programs that strengthen the internal practices for the prevention of corruption.
Nabilai Musa Kamara, head of the National Anti Corruption Strategy Secretariats, said the charity Caritas was contracted to conduct the monitoring exercise after certifying the standard procurement requirements.
Caritas Sierra Leone, he said, started the exercise in November 2015, interviewing focal persons and members of the integrity management committees (IMCs) of MDAs on their implementation of the proposed measures in their Action Plans crafted from the NACS Implementation Action Plan with an overall objective of adopting measures that will deal with the corruption opportunities existing in MDAs.
Caritas Sierra Leone is a faith based non-governmental humanitarian organization.
Kamara said that the findings in the report pointed out the willingness and commitment by MDAs to address gaps and weaknesses that caused the occurrence of corruption. He went on to say that many institutions had shown and continued to show growing commitment and collaboration in building and instituting internal anti-corruption measures.
IMCs are internal structures established to advise Managements of MDAs on strategies and programs to be employed to address the key corruption issues identified in the National Strategy that negatively affect issues of transparency, accountability and integrity in the operations of the MDAs.
This is the first validation, following the monitoring exercise conducted under the NACS 2014-18 as a means of gauging achievements made in the roll-out.
Patrick George, Manager NACS Secretariat, in his welcome statement congratulated MDAs for the strides and support provided to the NACS Secretariat in the implementation of the Strategy. He added that the next monitoring exercise would be conducted later in the year, alongside the mid-term review of the Strategy.
(C) Politico 14/06/16
