By Prince J Musa in Kenema
Foundation for Rural and Urban Transformation (FORUT) has trained members of civil society organizations in Kenema on the Amended Anti-Corruption Commission Act of 2019.
Program Director of FORUT, Alhassan Jalloh, said the essence of the training is to build the capacity of civil society activists in the district with the goal of helping them understand and advocate better against corruption.
“This is to ensure that CSOs promote accountability in service delivery by government institutions”, he said, adding: “we want civil society to be knowledgeable on where ACC’s power begins and where it stops in curbing corruption.”
“It will help to explain the work of the judiciary in fighting corruption; hence fighting corruption does not only depend on ACC. If we are to succeed to ensure the development of this country we need collective efforts as a people,” Jalloh added.
Jalloh also emphasized the importance of accountability in public sector management. He said that is the more reason why the CSOs are important in the fight against corruption.
Whiles explaining the significance of the amended Act, Deputy Director of Public Education and Outreach at the ACC, Alhassan Kargbo, said the new law has given the commission more autonomy and power to fight corruption.
He said: “The amendment Act of ACC has given more power to the commission to fight corruption. Initially ACC only had power to investigate and prosecute corrupt offences. Several amendments of the Act has strengthened the commission to prevent and educate rather than just to investigate corrupt matters.”
Kargbo also highlighted the role CSOs have to play in tackling corruption, saying: “CSOs and media serve as check and balances in the governance system to fight corruption.”
Patrick Adu, the District Coordinator of Peoples Power Movement, an umbrella body representing CSOs in the district, said the knowledge gained in the training will go a long way in helping them do their work.
“This training has given us more strength as CSOs to ensure accountability to the people by MDAs. We want to affirm our fullest support that the ideas acquired from the training will be fully implemented for the benefit of our people,” he said.
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