The Anti-Corruption Commission has on Friday the 8th December 2023, Commemorated the International Anti-Corruption day with the theme "Health Walk Against Corruption for a Better Sierra Leone" at Montana Car Park, Aberdeen, Freetown.
Deputy Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Augustine Ngobie, squandered no time to express his delights about the zest which the public had manifested to kick out corruption in the country. He noted that what he saw from the staff of ACC and everyone present, was a testament that everyone is determined to make corruption become a thing of the past in Sierra Leone.
Anti-corruption, he narrated, is at the heart of all development efforts in Sierra Leone, and central to initiatives to align public and private finance with the SDGs. As a Commission, he said the Anti-Corruption Commission itself maintains a steadfast commitment to preventing and combating fraud and corruption, as outlined in the ACC Act. "Our dedication is centered on directing every Leones towards impactful development initiatives, reinforcing the commission's reputation as a trusted institution. We are committed to ongoing enhancements in transparency and accountability, facilitated by independent evaluations, oversight mechanisms, audits, and a commitment to the highest ethical standards", he assured.
Giving an overview of this year's anniversary, the Deputy Director of Public Education and Outreach at the Anti-Corruption Commission Abubakarr Turay Esq, disclosed that the International Anti-Corruption day is as usual commemorated on the 9th of December with the aim of raising awareness to the public about the dangers of corruption for the past twenty years.
For this year, Turay noted that the Commission decided to commemorate the International Anti-Corruption day with the theme health walk against corruption for a better Sierra Leone. He added that the theme was carefully chosen due to the prolonged danger that the people of Sierra Leone are faced with due to corruption. Turay also disclosed that they had decided to collaborate with other partners from different walks of life to stage a leg work exercise from the center of the city to Aberdeen Montana Park with the objective of doing a face-to-face awareness raising to the public about the negative impact of corruption in the country. He added that they were able to gather the opinions of the public regarding their thoughts on the fight against corruption in Sierra Leone.
Touching on the threats which corruption has posed to the country, he noted that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission stated clearly that corruption stands out as one of the causes of the eleven years civil war in Sierra Leone. He furthered that the contents of the TRC Report was one of the reasons for the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Commission in Sierra Leone. He emphasized that corruption is a dangerous threat to the development of the nation and its people. The Deputy Director of public education and outreach therefore, craved the indulgence of all to come on board and stand up to the fight against corruption.
He called on the public to resist any act of corruption even if they are alone. He pointed out that the fight against Corruption is not a show of just the commissioners but that all hands must be on deck in order to win the fight against corruption in Sierra Leone.
A representative from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalist (SLAJ) who doubles as the Chairman of guild of editors, Dornald Theo Harding, expressed elation for the fact that the Commission is healthy to work and walk from the heart of the city to Aberdeen Montana Park. Such resilience, he said, is one that proved to him that the Commission is not just ready, but that all present were ready to eradicate corruption in the country once and for all. On the role of the Media, Harding stated that one of the major roles that the media had played in the fight against corruption is the dissemination of credible and unbiased information with the ultimate support of effective investigation of corrupt cases across the country.
Quite apart from that, he posited that the international exposure drug abuse, child abuse, child trafficking plus among others, are areas the media had played an instrumental role to expose corruption. Harding summated his speech by congratulating especially the Anti-Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone for making steady progress in the fight against corruption over the years.
The Executive Director, Center for Accountability and Rule of Law, Ibrahim Tommy, underscored that there are two things that are key to minimizing corruption. Prominent among them, he said, are collective action and trust. In order to be effective in collective action, he stressed that there is a need for effective dialogue in the different parts of society and among different leaders. He added that the need to really build is essential. He also called for cooperation especially in this kind of world with intertwined crises which is a very environmentally politicized, fragmented, and polarization.
He called for the establishment of independent and credible mechanisms to ensure compliance with the rule of law and company policies. Moreover, he said oversight bodies such as audit or legal departments need to maintain the utmost degree of professionalism and be insulated from political pressures.
He continued that the Anti-corruption efforts are included in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), too. SDG 16. He said the aforesaid goals promote peaceful and inclusive societies and also call for the reduction of corruption and bribery in all forms.
Strengthening the rule of law and promoting human rights according to Tommy, is just as key to this process as reducing the flow of illicit arms, combating corruption, and ensuring inclusive participation at all times.
Ibrahim Tommy concluded with a plea from the government that, "Moreover, as many countries seek to build out their Digital Public Infrastructure, governments must as well capacitate the anti-corruption measures in these digital ‘roads and bridges’ of the future. Ultimately, all of these efforts are vital to foster stability, ensure peace and allow communities to finance the future they want. Only through cooperation and the involvement of each and every person and institution can we overcome the negative impact of this crime that is rocking the very foundations of these common aspirations", he said.
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