By Francis H. Murray
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested four staff of the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) over allegations of corruption. The arrest comes almost a week after media reports exposed a major scandal around the implementation of the government’s social safety net program.
The four suspects were part of a team that were distributing money to people with disability in the northern district of Bombali ahead of the last nationwide lockdown. NaCSA announced the suspension of the officials over the weekend.
A report that went viral on social media, which was done by a reporter with the AYV, showed people with disability narrating how NaCSA staffers allegedly cut from cash they’d received as part of the transfer.
The ACC Monitor in the district, Johnette Kanu, has also been suspended by the anti-graft agency for “failing to monitor” the process accordingly.
On Monday ACC said it had instituted a formal investigation into what really happened.
In a press statement, NaCSA said the Regional Coordinator North, District Coordinator Bombali, Finance Admin and the Data Operator in Bombali would all be replaced by other staff members through an internal transfer system effective Monday 18th May.
The first phase of the latest National Social Safety Net Scheme was launched by President Julius Maada Bio in February this year with support from World Bank, UNICEF and DfID.
The program aims at strengthening livelihood systems through job creation schemes for the poorest, skills development initiatives and micro-enterprise schemes, with the overall goal of tackling poverty and fighting inequality.
In recent months, through this program the government has been giving cash to families for upkeep during the lockdown amidst Coronavirus restrictions.
The incident in Bombali has now cast doubts on the credibility of the entire process going forward. But NaCSA said this will not deter it in ensuring the effect implementation of the program.
‘‘The Commission’s mandate to serve the extremely poor and marginalized communities through various social protection schemes will not be affected by the alleged incident in Makeni,’’ it said in a statement issued last week.
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