ACC attends district PHUs meeting in Kenema
In a bid to recruit every Public Officer and Sierra Leonean into the national Anti-Corruption force that is morally armed to fight corruption from every angle, the Public Education team of the Anti-Corruption Commission in Kenema led by the Eastern Regional Manager – Madam Evelyn Walker, made a brief presentation to the medical staff from the different Peripheral Health Units (PHUs) in the Kenema District, in their monthly meeting at the Government Hospital in Kenema on Wednesday 7th September, 2011. (Photo: DCO Blake presenting)
Mr Blake, the Kenema District Coordinating Officer explained the purpose for such engagements as not been unconnected to the usual venture of the Commission to educate Public Officers, who are in the position to either break or make this nation by what they practice in their offices. He catalogued bad governance and corruption as reasons for the ten years civil war, as was presented by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which if unchecked have the tendency to reap this nation of lasting peace. Upon which backdrop the Anti-Corruption Commission was established to take the lead in the fight against corruption.
He went on to say that it was high time people relinquished the culture of silence which had once plunged this nation into ten years civil unrest, adding that because people never spoke when things were getting wrong, many woeful things happened, that could have been avoided. He noted that if all had taken issues of national concern paramount, the country would not have been in the position it is today. He further said, the first step to the enlisting of persons into the fight against corruption is educating them, and urged them to act as ACC’s informants and as Public Educators to every patient who comes to their PHUs for medication. He encouraged them to operate within the set policies and regulations governing the medical field.
PEO Conteh presenting
Speaking on the operations of the ACC and the reporting procedures, Mr. David Kanekey Conteh highlighted the three-pronged approach the Commission uses to achieve its goal, stressing that the Commission prioritizes Public Education, which is an effective tool to convert people, and that having lots of corrupt convicts is not considered a success for the ACC. He further said, corruption had been previously institutionalized and considered an accepted system in most offices in the country. Therefore there is the need for a review of systems and processes of MDAs, which is the responsibility of the preventive wing of the Commission. He added that the Commission only takes issues to court as a final resort, which falls within the mandate of the Intelligence, Investigation and Prosecution Department.
Cross Section of PHU staff
He encouraged medical staff to report corrupt practices happening within their communities and assured them of the Commission’s Informant and Witness protection scheme. He allayed their fears that they cannot be victimized for giving information to the Commission. He also spoke about the ten (10%) percent reward from any amount recovered by the Commission to be given to informants and concluded that reports to the Commission could be made through letters, email, and phone calls or in person at the Commission’s Regional Office, Off-Maxwell Khobe Street, Kenema.
Similar engagements are expected elsewhere in the Region.
David Kanekey Conteh, ACC Public Education Officer, Kenema
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