a
Your trusted place for Sierra Leone and global news
HomeFeaturedACC concludes seminar in Kono

ACC concludes seminar in Kono

ACC concludes seminar in Kono

ACC concludes Regional Advocacy Seminar in Kono for senior and middle level managers to integrate anti-corruption policies in the Civil Service  (Photo: Cross section of the participants at the seminar for senior level managers in Kono)

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with support from European Union (EU) on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th May, 2015 at the Sahr Musa Sessie Gbenda Hall in Koidu City appealed to senior and middle level managers of the civil service to mainstream anti-corruption initiatives into their strategic plans and activities.

Speaking on the rationale for the seminar, ACC’s Deputy Director Public Education and Outreach Patrick Sandi firstly delivered greetings from the Commissioner, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara and the Deputy Commissioner, Shollay Davies. He underscored the seminar is a nationwide advocacy campaign with support from EU to mainstream anti-corruption initiatives, measures and policies in Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in order to improve and enhance integrity, transparency, accountability and quality service delivery in their operations. Integrating anti-corruption measures into the policy framework and operations of civil servants will be a clear demonstration of the willingness of civil servants in the fight against corruption, Sandi observed.

The Deputy Director highlighted the relevant areas to mainstream such as; open, fair and transparent recruitment process, developing, popularizing and operationalizing service charter, adoption of conflict of interest rules, integrity pact, integrity pledge, asset declaration, accountable appraisal system and robust internal audit regime.

Dilating on the offences in the AC Act 2008 that are germane to public officers, Mr. Sandi outlined, possession of unexplained wealth, corrupt acquisition of wealth, using influence for contract, misappropriation of public fund/property, offering, soliciting or accepting advantage, abuse of office/position, deceiving a principal and gift as corrupt practices punishable by law.  The penalty for each of these offences is a fine not less than thirty million Leones or not less than three years imprisonment or both fine and imprisonment, Sandi furthered.

Giving an overview of the European Union project implementation on mainstreaming, Head of Public Education Unit, Michael Sesay stated that EU funded the advocacy meeting to transplant anti-corruption measures into MDAs in order to maximize quality service delivery. Public officers must be professional, impartial and selfless in the discharge of their duties, as these underpin their role in the fight against corruption, Sesay stressed.

Speaking on the significance of service charters to the mainstreaming process, Systems Analyst, Horatio  Barlay said, service charter was an important accountability tool, as it informed clients about the procedure, cost and duration for the services which ensured improved and high quality product. Mr. Barlay continued that, it was a yard stick to measure transparency, accountability and probity because in the event quality did not match with what was described in the service charter the customer would have an opportunity to seek redress by making relevant phone calls to the head of entity or the ACC.

Discussing the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2014-18) document and its relationship with the mainstreaming process, NACS Coordinating Officer Montfort Okeke Macaulay underscored the NACS was in line with pillar seven (7) of the Agenda for Prosperity, which emphasizes on public sector reform. He disclosed that the Strategy aims at bringing MDAs to the fore and take ownership of the fight against corruption, which necessitated the formation of Integrity Management Committees (IMCs) and the crafting of work plans by MDAs.

Earlier in his submission, ACC’s Sub-Regional Manager Kono, Rev. Bob Tejan Kandeh who also chaired noted that, the seminar focused on MDAs in order to mainstream anti-corruption initiatives/measures in their operations to maintain transparency and accountability. He stressed that the fight against corruption was a collective one requiring the inputs of all and sundry.

It could be recalled that the Commission had conducted similar advocacy meetings in the North from 29th April to 4th May, and South 11th to 12th May and Kenema 13th to 14th May 2015. 

ACC Koidu City-Kono District

Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!


© 2015, https:. All rights reserved.

Share With:
Rate This Article
No Comments

Leave A Comment