ACC partners with transport stakeholders in Makeni
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was primarily established for the prevention, investigation and prosecution of corrupt practices and to educate the public about the evils of corruption. In this vein, the Northern Regional office of the Anti-Corruption Commission partners with the transport stakeholders including the Police, Traffic Wardens, Drivers’ Union, Bike Riders’ Union etc in a sensitisation campaign organised by the ACC at their Mena Hills office in Makeni, Bombali District on the 14th September 2011.
In his opening remarks, the Regional Manager Patrick Sandi who chaired the meeting started by welcoming the Local Unit Commander (LUC), David Sahid Koroma and the general participants on behalf of the ACC Commissioner Mr. Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara and all staff of the Commission to this all important meeting.
Regional Manager Patrick Sandi
He went on to say that, the Commission values everybody in the fight against corruption and that it is known fact, the Commission cannot succeed without partners. Therefore, it is the Commission’s duty to always remind stakeholders of their responsibilities. He commended the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), the Judiciary, Media and the Public in the crucial role they are playing in the Commission’s operations in order to achieve its goals.
He emphasized that, the meeting is not by any mistake but by design because, the fight against corruption in this part of the country is very much important for the good of its people and the nation as a whole.
The ACC does not witch hunt anybody or institution and it is a corporate body that can sue and can be sued. So we always make sure that we have enough evidence before we pursue and prosecute a matter in court thereby making the institution very professional. The ACC is resolved and determined to respond to the cry of the public but stressed that the meeting was to renew and awaken the commitment of the traffic sector bodies to the fight against corruption.
Bombali District Coordinator, Raymond Kamara
The Bombali District Coordinator, Raymond Kamara of the ACC, declared the purpose of the meeting.
In his presentation, he encouraged the stakeholders to partner with the Commission in the fight against corruption, as partnership is one of the core values of the Commission in achieving its vision and mandate.
We have all what it takes to develop this country like America, but we all have the collective responsibility in seeing that Sierra Leone becomes a corrupt free society Mr. Kamara lamented. Corruption is not part of our culture, but people have chosen to be corrupt says the District Coordinator.
He reiterated that, corruption is a cancer that has eaten the integrity of individuals, so we need to work hard to avoid posterity holding us responsible for the backwardness of the country. Mr. Kamara further said, the meeting is borne out of public concerns that there is rampant parading of unlicensed motorbikes and vehicles in Makeni and the overloading of motorbikes commonly called ‘okada’ with up to four passengers. The ACC is not happy with these ugly scenes because it believes the police and other stakeholders are crucial partners in the struggle, so such practices needed to be checked and controlled. The Police and Traffic Wardens are central to generating income for the Government but what is happening these days? Mr. Kamara encouraged them to see the need to change the negative perception the public have about them by joining the Commission in fighting this dreadful disease.
The Public Education Officer, Al- Hassan Sesay of ACC gave an overview of the Commission, its establishment, mandate, vision and the three pronged approaches the Commission employs in the fight against corruption, which are; Public Education, Prevention and Confrontation. He further admonished his audience on the increase in the number of the corruption offences from nine (9) in the AC Act 2000 to twenty seven (27) in the AC Act 2008, which tells you the seriousness of the Commission in the fight against corruption.
He said, the Commission has two faces, the sweet face which is the Public Education, Systems and Process Review and the bitter face which is the Intelligence, Investigations and Prosecution aspect.
Mr. Sesay went on to define corruption, the evils of corruption, and in turn solicited their support to join the Commission in leading the fight against corruption for the greater benefit of all.
Cross section of traffic stakeholders in Makeni
Unfolding some of the 27 offences as contained in the AC Act 2008, Misappropriation of Public Funds or Property, Misappropriation of Donor Funds or property, abuse of office, abuse of position, protection of public revenue, possession of an unexplained wealth, Offering, Soliciting and Accepting advantage, Corrupt acquisition of wealth, Gifts, to name but a few, are of great concern to the Commission, says Joseph Bockarie Noah of ACC North.
He admonished them with an adage which says, “Take what you have until you get what you want”, and to desist from corruption and all corrupt practices that are against the mandate of the Commission.
He further spoke on the concerns the Commission gets from the public about the police and the traffic wardens such as: the way the motor bikes over load within the township of Makeni, high speed from the mining companies vehicles, most of the unlicensed motor bikes are suspectedly owned by the police and wardens, wardens serving as intermediaries to customers for licenses of vehicles and motor bikes illegally, etc. He told them that there is no magic in investigation, if there is no enough evidence, there is no way you manufacture any , so he encouraged them to improve on their image as an institution.
Manager Sandi told participants how to report corruption and assured them of the Commission’s protection and confidentiality. He gave them the ACC free hotlines they could use to report corruption.
He mentioned the 10% reward informants’ benefit from the proceeds of any corruption or corrupt practice reported to the Commission.
The vote of thanks was done by DWPC Fatmata Siaffa CID police station Mena Hills.
Questions and answers climaxed the engagement.
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