The Sierra Leone chapter of the global corruption watchdog, Transparency International has issued its second quarterly report on the state of graft in the country.
Writing in its latest newsletter, Accountability Watch, published today, the Executive Director of TISL, Lavina Banduah gives the following overview for the second quarter of 2016:
In the second quarter of the year 2016, Sierra Leone continues to face not only an intensification of corrupt acts, but also the negative impacts of corruption on the country’s national development drive.
The prevalence of corruption over the years has led Sierra Leone, a resource-rich country, to be faced with a glaring economic crisis.
More specifically, the lack of prudent mobilization and management of public resources over the years continues to make it impossible for the country to fully finance its annual national budget.
The impact of the Ebola epidemic has further weakened the country’s fragile economy and has plunged its citizens into further economic quagmire.
The rapid increase in the cost of goods and services has left citizens largely unable to meet their basic needs.
This continues to pose a threat to the promotion of the values of integrity as citizens grapple to meet the ever increasing costs of goods and services.
Consequently, theft, fraud, embezzlement and misappropriation of development funds, the demand for bribes and extortion and similar vices have continued unabated.
TISL firmly believes that the first step towards ensuring integrity and curbing corruption is the creation of an enabling environment to curb these vices, characterized by price control or government subsidizing the cost on basic goods amongst others.
This backed by effective enforcement of Anti-Corruption laws and a wholistic moral rearmament program.
If citizens continue to find it increasingly difficult to live within their salaries, the fight against corruption remains a huge challenge. If Anti-Corruption laws are not effectively enforced and laid down procedures adhered to, the fight against corruption remains a huge challenge.
Similarly, if citizens become complacent to corruption, curbing it remains a huge challenge.
© Politico 2016
