York Village embraces ACC
Councilor Mamoud Dumbuya, of ward 335, constituency 93, has declared York Village clean and free of corrupt practices. He made this statement at a community meeting held by the Anti-Corruption Commission on Saturday 4th May 2014 at the York Community Centre. (Photo: Cross section of York Village community)
The visit by the ACC is part of a sustained drive to take the fight against corruption to the door steps of community people. Councilor Dumbuya said York is the heart of the Western Rural District, and its residents engage in economic activities such as fishing, sand mining, farming and wood felling. He said proceeds generated by council are ploughed back into the community through social development programmes.
To foster accountability and transparency, proceeds generated from sand mining, on a weekly basis, are displayed on notice boards at the council office. This is line with the Local Council Act and thus supports the fight against corruption. Residents in the village he said are pleased with the paved road from Waterloo to York. He registered frustration over the uncompleted road construction from the Lumley axis. The delay in the construction both headmen for York and Tokeh attributed to corruption. Part of the delay one woman said was due to the theft and sale of fuel, granite, and sand meant for the road work. Concerns were raised about the complete cut off from shorter access through the Ogoo Farm-Lumley axis, where they can access better health facilities, improved trading, and education facilities.
Mohamed Alie Kamara, senior public education officer at the ACC, described the theft and sale of construction materials as corruption. The effects of which are delay in road construction, uneasy accessibility to Freetown, and poverty stemming from meager trade and poor health. He said the village should watch over government and village property and report any corruption-related acts to the ACC. The Commission he informed them is poised to ensure that pregnant women and parents do not pay for free healthcare treatment as long as they are qualified to receive it and also for school services they should receive for free.
Glennis Frazer, Head of Outreach Unit making a statement
Head of Outreach Unit in the ACC, Glennis Frazer, said it is bribery to solicit money or gifts from pregnant women and parents for the access of free health care treatment. She admonished members of the York Community to resist the payment of bribes and report such matters to the ACC. According to Ms. Frazer, government has launched the No Bribe Campaign, with funds from the UK government, to tackle the spate of bribery in the country. Government has also affirmed its commitment to strengthen revenue generation sources so that the viability of the economy is not lost to bribery. Bribery Ms. Frazer said is a serious offence under the AC Act of 2008. She therefore admonished the community to protect and secure the interest of York Village in its sand mining, farming and wood felling trading activities in a transparent and corrupt-free manner.
Communication Officer, John Tarawally, urged residents to report corruption to the Commission on the free hotlines: AFRICELL 077985985/ 077986986; and AIRTEL 161. He reassured the audience that the Commission is set to follow upon complaints while maintaining high confidentiality on the identity of persons making complaints.
By Alimamy Lahai Kamara
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