Corruption Perception Index: Sierra Leone makes a Giant Stride
Transparency International, a German-based anti-corruption group known for ordering the countries of the world according to the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians, has launched on Wednesday, October 27th, the results of its 2010 ranking of the most corrupt countries in the world. Under the stewardship of the former anti-corruption czar, Abdul Tejan-Cole, it is pleasing to note that Sierra Leone made an impressive leap in its fight against corruption posting a double digit gain.
For this year’s Corruption Perception Index, Transparency International found Sierra Leone to have made a significant leap of about 14 places from 146th to 132nd place between 2009 and 2010-a position that the nation has never occupied since the inception of Transparency International.
A major reason attributed to the success of Sierra Leone is undoubtedly tied to the iron clad hands of Abdul Tejan-Cole backed by his fearless and uncompromising approach with which he ran the Anti-Corruption Commission. It may be recalled that under his reign, several Ministers and others within the corridors of power were indicted for corruption and ultimately convicted. The now disgraced Haja Afsatu Kabba is the most recent case in point.
The ruthless chastisement of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), witnessed especially during the corruption investigation of Haja Afsatu Kabba by certain members of the press, some other sorry political godfathers of the opposition parties as well as other creatures of the “gbashi-gbashi” empire, exemplifies the greedy state and depth of narrow-mindedness in which Sierra Leone has gone into – a creepy hole. This was no longer about APC nor SLPP anymore, it was about the future of Sierra Leone and Sierra Leoneans.
This result today, coupled with Haja Afsatu Kabba’s conviction, serves as not only a vindication for Mr. Tejan-Cole but a victory. Regardless of what the enemies of progress think, this is an indication that an appreciably superior efforts must have gone into the works of the ACC into strengthening governance in Sierra Leone and thereby bringing forth the kinds of respect we are beginning to enjoy amongst other nations. “With the livelihoods of so many at stake, governments’ commitments to anti-corruption, transparency, and accountability must speak through their actions.” said Huguette Labelle, TI chair.
This result also signifies that better days are ahead for Sierra Leoneans as foreign investments and development aids expert would be gauging the amount of progress that are been made. The world would also be watching our new ACC boss, Mr. Joseph Kamara, to see the direction that he would take Sierra Leone this time, next year. Please don’t let us down.
Until then, congratulations Mr. Tejan-Cole, Congratulations President Ernest Koroma and congratulations Sierra Leone!
By Christian Foday Sesay, Texas Correspondent
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