ACC engages the people of Makrugbeh, Sierra Leone

In its quest to eradicate graft in the country, the Anti-Corruption Commission North has on the 19th April 2013 held an outreach meeting with the people of Makrugbeh Section Tane Chiefdom Tonkolili District. The meeting was to heighten public awareness on the ills of corruption and solicit the people’s support to collaborate and report cases of graft to the ACC. (Photo: Cross section of the community in Makrugbeh at the meeting)

Addressing members of Makrugbeh Section at their court barray, the ACC District Coordinator Tonkolili Abdulai Saccoh welcomed them on behalf of the Commissioner to the meeting and described it as a show of commitment in the fight against corruption. The Coordinator encouraged them to join forces with ACC to weed corruption out of their community in order to address the issue of poverty. Corruption he emphasized is a killer disease which can only be cured through collective effort of all citizens. Mr. Saccoh opined that such engagement was part of the Commission’s deliberate strategy to ensure that all spectrum of the society is enlightened on the evils of corruption; the kind of collaboration ACC demands from the public and to solicit their continued support to combat graft as the Commission alone cannot succeed in this fight.

ACC’s Coordinator Tonkolili Abdulai Saccoh (left) soliciting the support of Makrugbeh people in the fight aganst graft

Speaking on the offences and penalties to members of Makrugbeh Section as enshrined in the AC Act 2008, the Coordinator maintained that ACC does not look at the monetary value involved but the offence (s) committed.

Mr. Saccoh noted that the Act is not only for public officers but also covers those engaged in private business. He customized this session with practical examples of corrupt practices that they might have encountered over the years. Amongst the offences he explained were offering, soliciting and /or accepting an advantage, misappropriation of public funds, misappropriation of donor funds, impeding investment, protection of public property and revenue, gift, abuse of office and position, conflict of interest, and some of the vices that have plagued this country’s socio-economic growth such as lateness, absenteeism, disrespect for authority and the rule of law. Penalties for each of the offence mentioned above that are in part IV of the 2008 AC Act is a fine of not less than thirty million Leones or imprisonment for a term not less than (3) years or suffer both fine and prison term he opined. Updating members on the activities of the Commission, the Coordinator informed them that ACC has charged twenty nine (29) public officers including seven medical doctors from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for alleged Misuse of donor funds and two other officials one (1) from National Revenue Authority (NRA) and a Mines Engineer relating to the 2011 Audit findings.

Cross section of the participants at the engagement

The Coordinator went on to explain the various methods of making reports to the Commission and protection for informers. He told them that in as much as the Commission wants the public to report matters of corruption or corrupt practices; they should not make false reports because it is an offence. He emphasized the Commission’s core value of confidentiality and professionalism and stressed that if the fight against corruption is to succeed they must resist, reject, and report corruption. Mr. Saccoh urged members of Makrugbeh Section to report any act of corruption to the ACC Regional Office at Mena Hills, the District Coordinator in Magburaka or through the Commission’s hotlines which he read out to them.

Cross section of community in Makrugbeh

Earlier in his welcome statement, the Section Chief of Makrugbeh Pa Alpha Kargbo lauded the efforts of the ACC in it strive to liberate Sierra Leoneans from the nuisance -corruption. Pa Kargbo implored the Commission to continue with similar engagements in other communities in the district and called on his people to join ACC to combat corruption as its negative ramifications does not discriminate.

The meeting was climaxed with questions and answers session.

ACC Makeni

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