By Mada Augustine Ngombu
The People Power Movement Sierra Leone (PPM-SL),has organized an accountability session with state and non-state actors in a bid to clarify findings on the Auditor General’s report that are of national interest and promoting accountability across the country.
The session took place on the 8th November at Think Africa Conference Hall,Tengbeh Town in Freetown.
Given that a lot has happened across the country in terms of corruption, the Executive Director of Social Linkages for Youth Development and Child Link, Habib Kamara stated that they wanted the public to know to what extent the officials at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have been doing their job, considering the status of the Audit report that portrays the good governance process and accountability.
ACC Public Relations Officer, Sylvanus Blake stressed the role of the ACC as provided in the laws of Sierra Leone which is to lead national efforts in fighting corruption and their mandate outlines how they are to act to prevent, suppress and eradicate corruption.
Blake spoke about the commission’s sensitization and education branch that focuses on corruption prevention and the other operational departments within the institution.
“The Sensitization and Corruption Department does not arrest and charge to court but just sensitizes against corruption and makes it difficult for it to thrive in the country,” Blake explained.
He added that the ACC has recovered nearly NLe 44,000,000 (forty-four million Leones) over the past four years through settlement by those found guilty and investigated for stealing who were given the opportunity to pay back using the commission’s discretion.
Blake further stated that for the past 20 years of assessment, Sierra Leone barely passed four times before 2018, with the lowest score of 15% recorded in 2009, but hat because of the radical reform, the ACC in 2018 scored 71% in controlling corruption.
“In the middle of all our challenges the commission scored 79% in (?) which is the best grade in West Africa and amongst the top 10 in Africa,” he stated.
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