The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Southern Regional Office in Bo, on Wednesday, August 3, 2022 engaged staff of the National Commission for Social Action to mainstream professionalism and other ethical values which the Commission strongly believes will lead to the improvement in the speed, quality and impact of development initiatives implemented by the Commission.
The meeting took place at NaCSA office, Sebureh Street in Bo District.
ACC’s Public Education Officer, Yangie D. Sesay explained that mainstreaming and enforcing anti-corruption measures in the operations of Ministries, Departments and Agencies is significant for the control of the life-threatening plague called corruption. She referenced the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) as one among the many preventive tools the Commission uses for the control of corrupt practices within the implementation of programs related the Social Safety Net (SSN) project. She further emphasized that such a measure has the propensity to promote sustainable human development and earn the trust and confidence of development partners. These she said can foster integrity and transparency.
Miss. Sesay while cataloguing a number of successes made by the Commission, updated staff on the over 45 Billion Old Leones recovered and paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the over 95% conviction rate, of all cases charged to court, the robust nationwide public education campaigns, and the great strides in the prevention of corruption in Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Due to these successes she added, the country continues to make favorable progress in national and international corruption perception ratings and rankings.
Addressing staff of NaCSA, ACC’s Public Education Officer, Mohamed .A. Kabba recognized the invaluable services they render to the nation by providing demand-driven and sustainable social and economic activities that lead to the alleviation of poverty among vulnerable groups. He said, as the work of NaCSA seeks to ensure social justice and poverty reduction, NaCSA officers should ensure that they define their interactions with beneficiaries with integrity, accountability, professionalism, transparency, impartiality, respect and empathy.
He gave a concise explanation of certain corruption offences as stipulated in the 2008 Anti-Corruption Act (as amended in 2019), stating that, abuse of office/position, misappropriation of public and donor funds or property and conspiracy to commit a corruption offence as referenced in Section 128 of the AC Act, 2008 (as amended in 2019) are mostly offences committed in government and donor driven projects. He encouraged them to follow due processes as public officers, as provided for under the ACC law.
District Coordinator NaCSA in Bo, Musa Dauda said, it was a privilege to have such education from the ACC team, stating that NaCSA as an institution believes in the core values of integrity and professionalism in the workplace. He therefore assured that they will continue to demonstrate and maintain professionalism and integrity in their daily interactions with members of the public.
Questions and answers session formed part of meeting, and the presentation of Information, Education and Communication materials climaxed the meeting.
By Alimatu Jalloh