The fight against corruption reaches Bandama community in Kenema
The ACC in Kenema on Thursday 9th March, 2012, held a successful community sensitization meeting with residents, Security Personnel and other Stakeholders of the Bandama Village court Barry in Kenema. (Photo: DCO Blake handing over IECs)
The crusade which was aimed at soliciting the support of the public in the national fight against corruption, attracted about one hundred people.
Chief S. Lansana, who chaired the meeting, expressed delight at the move by the ACC to engage and educate them for the first time on corruption issues which he described as serious a challenge to the development efforts of this nation. He stated that the ACC should continue to hold such meetings with the community people regularly since they suffer the brunt of the effects of corruption.
Cross section of stakeholders at Bandama meeting
Mr. Peter Baio Kamara Public Education Officer of the ACC East explained the purpose of the meeting and underscored the need for community people to be aware of the practices that constitute corruption and the corresponding penalties. He stated that the ACC is only providing leadership in the fight against corruption and is on a mission recruit the general public into the national anti graft force.
IEC materials by DCO
Speaking on the operations of the ACC, reporting procedures Mohamed Sylvanus Blake the Kenema District Coordinator of the ACC, categorized them into three, Public Education & External Outreach and System and Processes Review and the Intelligence, Investigations and Prosecution Department. He mentioned the procedures of reporting corruption to the ACC with the choice of keeping your identity secret. He encouraged all to be informants or witnesses as a patriotic act of contributing to the national fight against corruption adding that there is scheme to informant(s) for any conviction that leads to recovery of stolen public funds.
PEOs David and Peter at Bandama
Public Education Officer, David Kanekey Conteh, highlighted offences in the AC Act of 2008 that apply to everybody. He encouraged all to educate others and learn to report public officers or service providers that demand bribes for their services for they are employed and paid by government. Offences like offering, soliciting and accepting advantage, corrupting a public officer, influencing a public officer, misappropriation of public and donor fund or property etc were explained to the people in simple terms.
He concluded, by giving out the ACC hot lines and encouraged the community people to utilize this opportunity and report corruption related issues to the ACC.
Community people at the meeting
The Chief of Bandama Village, Chief Sam Musa in his statement thanked the ACC for the awareness rising session and stated that his community was now prepared enough to join the national fight against corruption as they now know what the ACC stands for. He pleaded with the ACC to regularly continue such engagements with them. Several concerns were raised and questions asked by the community people. These were appropriately responded to by the ACC staff. The meeting climaxed with the distribution of ACC educational materials to the community school, security sector and public.
By Mohamed S. Blake, ACC District Coordinator Kenema
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