ACC sensitizes ministry of social welfare

The Eastern Regional office of the ACC has on Tuesday 6th October 2015 held customized sensitization meeting with staff of the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs at the Old District Council Office Nyandeyama Road in Kenema.

Welcoming the ACC, the head of the ministry, Assistant Director Madam Alice Jeneba Koroma who served as chairman thanked the Commission for engaging her entity on sensitization about corruption and the operations of the Commission. She expressed her delight over the fact that the Commission in the Eastern Region has over the years become approachable. She stated that in time past when the name ACC was mentioned, public officer became jittery but that is not the case now as the ACC is doing its uttermost to let the people understand their operations and expressed the hope that such engagements should continue so that they are always on their guard on issues of corruption and integrity. She urged her staff to pay keen attention to the message from the ACC officers.

Explaining the corrupt practices in the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008, The Regional Manager East, Peter Baio Kamara said that sensitization is not only to guide the staff present against corruption but to encourage and capacitate them to recognize corruption and resist and reject it in totality. He stated that corruption is more of an integrity issue and encouraged his audience to dispense their duties with integrity, transparency and accountability. He highlighted some of the corrupt practices in the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 that apply to the operations of their ministry.

Peter Baio Kamara stressed on the pivotal role of the Ministry of Social Welfare in addressing the post Ebola recovery needs of the country. He noted that the ministry coordinates activities of NGOs and other partners involved in addressing the psychosocial and other needs of Ebola survivors, orphans and Ebola affected victims in the country. This, he said, brings them in contact with state and other resources and with it the temptation to mismanage those resources thus contravening the AC Act of 2008.

Mr. Kamara emphasized the need for public officers to declare their income, assets and liabilities as it is a must for all public officers. He also encouraged the ministry to be very serious with the mainstreaming of Anti-Corruption measures as contained in the Revised National Anti-Corruption Strategy NACS 2014-2018. He urged his audience to play within the rules and cautioned staff and volunteers not to solicit or accept advantage in the course of performing their duties. He warned against the misappropriation of public or donor funds and property as the funds/property are meant for the benefit of the people they are intended for.

Giving a brief background of the ACC, Public Education Officer Sam P Gogra said the ACC was established in 2000 by an Act of Parliament. He said that the Commission did not make much impact till the new Act of 2008 was enacted which increased the corrupt offences and gave prosecutorial powers to the Commission. He explained the operations of the ACC and stated that the Commission prefers prevention of corruption which minimizes the damage to the state than prosecution of corrupt offenders which is much more expensive. He added that the ACC is more resolved than ever before to lead the national fight against corruption to a winnable end with the unflinching support of the public. He indicated that as social workers they should be professional and work with integrity as they deal more with the vulnerable in their daily interaction. He ended by noting that all should be vigilant and report all instances corruption to the ACC.

Earlier in declaring the purpose of the meeting, the District Coordinator of the ACC in Kenema Mohamed Sylvanus Blake stated that the engagement is part of the Commission’s mandate to educate the public on the existence of corruption and the need for every Sierra Leonean to join in the national fight so that the socio economic needs of all citizens will be met through the fair and transparent management and distribution of state resources. He emphasized that corruption benefits a small group people and impoverishes the vast majority adding that if the national fight against corruption is one the country must win, the undivided support of all and sundry is crucial especially in the area of reporting allegations of corruption to the ACC. He encouraged his audience to break the culture of silence and speak up against corruption.

By The Public Education Unit – ACC Kenema.

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