By Mabinty M. Kamara
President Julius Maada Bio has expressed optimism in winning the fight against corruption, noting that it is a must for the survival of Sierra Leone.
During the presentation of the annual report of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday, President Bio highlighted the strides of his administration in the fight against graft since he mounted it in 2018 upon assuming office, citing the amendment of the Anti-Corruption Act in 2019, creation of a special court to try corruption cases, and the institutionalization of a National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2019-2023). Bio said the gains have been confirmed by improved scores for Sierra Leone in global rankings, including the Millennium Corporation Challenge (MCC) Score Card which the country was scored 79 on the control of corruption indicator.
“Whilst these developments highlighted above show that we are clearly on the right path, winning the war against corruption requires sustained commitment and increased public confidence,” Bio warned.
President Bio commended the leadership and staff of the Commission for presenting the report and for their commitment to the fight against corruption over the years.
“Since I assumed office, I have prioritized fighting corruption because it is a threat to our development as a nation. A corrupt country is adverse for economic and social development, foreign direct investment, effective service delivery, fair play and equal opportunity, equal access to justice and the rule of law,’ he said.
He went on: “Today, the presentation of this report gives us an opportunity to reaffirm my Government’s commitment to fighting this war on corruption. As I say often, this is a war we must fight and it is a war we must win.
“There will always be concerns, opinions, and challenges about the cases you investigate, the cases you prosecute, the cases you win, and the cases you lose in court. But do not be distracted. As a Government, we are determined and committed to a sustained and elevated fight against corruption in this country,” the president added as a way of encouraging the ACC team led by Francis Ben Kaifala.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie, said that the presentation of the report was in fulfillment of the provision in Section 19(1) of the ACC Act of 2008 as amended, noting that the report comprehensively chronicled the overall activities of the Commission and captured details on all departments for the year under review.
He went on to note that 2019 was a remarkable year for the Commission, during which he said they recorded several achievements and successes both locally and internationally. He noted that the amendment of the Act has strengthened the work of the Commission.
“The Commission remains very grateful to you for the determined and inspiring leadership demonstrated towards the fight against corruption and the general work of the Commission. I also extend our thanks to the Ministry of Finance for its support in the payment of salaries, provision of recurrent expenditure and development,” Mr Ngobie said.
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