Bad Omen… ACC is a disgrace
Public’s opinion haul’s up Anti Corruption Commission’s (ACC) decision in relation to monies squandered by public officials as a ‘big disgrace.’
Findings say ACC’s recent pronouncement, compelling Sierra Leone’s Financial Secretary, Edmund Koroma, NASSIT’s Deputy Director, Gibril Saccoh and two other workers repaying Le 500 million each, seemingly degrades and demeans conduct of officials assigned to state responsibilities.
Text messages monitored during FM 98.1 ‘Good Morning Salone’ programme revealed citizens’ unrestricted dissatisfaction over ACC’s decision to exempt Edmund Koroma and others to face criminal charges of corruption at the high court.
Almost all the callers accused officials of the ACC of waywardly exempting corrupt public officials on issues practically doing with corruption.
It must be recollected that in May 2008, Mamoud Idris, head of investment and projects at NASSIT, on the instruction of Edmund Koroma, then Director General, sent a purchase request to Damen Shipyard for one ferry and catamaran/hovercraft.
And in June of 2010, Edmund Koroma put together a team and traveled to the Netherlands where they held discussions with Daemen and inspected certain vessels already identified.
On 11th July 2008, NASSIT went into an agreement for the purchase of MV Gripskyss, now Masimera at the cost of 1.160.000 Euros.
On the 24th July again, NASSIT bought a ferry boat called MV Costas, now re-named Bai Bureh at the cost of 940.000 Euros – put together, the two boats cost 2.100.000 Euros.
Other expenditures incurred by NASSIT after purchase of the two boats read as follows: Traveling cost for the trip to Netherlands Le 193.321.164/00,
Ssurveyor fees to Capt. Bloomer US$ 5.000/00,
Construction of landing sites Le 310.135.350/00,
Transportation of vessels 143.740/00 and
Lloyd’s register consultancy fees 63.261/00 pounds.
Figures as stated above include monies wastefully misappropriated by persons still occupying positions of trust.
The ferries arrived in 2008, but in a rotten, reckless and unusable manner.
Sierra Leoneans, whose monthly contributions make up NASSIT showcased their unhappiness and compelled government and the ACC to conduct an investigation on the manner of purchase.
After years of ACC’s ‘lie lie’ investigation, it later came up with a decision that is seen as unsatisfactory and disappointing.
Credible information reaching this press revealed that an amount adding up 2.100 Euros including hundreds and hundreds of million Leones.
The scene was all a disappointment when officials of ACC disloyally ignored charging culprits to court, but rather compelled them make repayment.
Disgraceful most is the fact that monies to be refunded are by no means equaled the ones wastefully or corruptly withdrawn from monthly contributions of poor civil servants.
It has reached this press that culprits bragged paying monies pitched on their heads through wires of colleagues and cabalists anytime from now.
It is baffling though that, others including state ministers, found culpable of corrupt practices hastily reached wells of the courts to answer to criminal charges, but with Edmund Koroma, it was negotiated under the guise of ‘out of court settlement.’
The fright that torments minds of Sierra Leoneans is that Edmund Koroma, who doubles as Sierra Leone’s Financial Secretary, may not be working in the interests of society and so, must be dismissed from occupying such office.
It is anticipated that Edmund Koroma might even use the office of Financial Secretary to immorally generate the Le 500 billion pitched on his head by the ACC.
Public’s concern cast aspersions that ACC’s decision for an ‘out of court settlement’ has corruption tendencies.
“Must it not be that officials of the ACC inconsiderately pardon corrupt state officials (out of court settlement) owing to some kind of ‘underhand’ or ‘brown envelope’ understanding?” a concern citizen questioned.
Could not the leadership of ACC intelligently look at the severity and uncovered involvement of Edmund Koroma, Gibril Saccoh, Ibrahim Bah and Mamoud Idris prior to their unwitting, suspecting and accidental decision?
The ACC must be reminded though that President Koroma, during his early days in governance, made a proclamation assuring Sierra Leoneans that he will have ‘no safe haven’ for corrupt official not even his family.
“That his focus ‘on zero tolerance on corruption’ is unchanging and ageless.”
It is no secret that Sierra Leoneans sees the decision of the ACC as inequitable, discriminatory and corruption suspected.
That Edmond Koroma who doubles as Sierra Leone’s Financial Secretary may have surrendered a brown big to glutton ACC officials to avoid being charged criminal.
More details next edition.
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