Thirty-eight (38) deserving Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Local Councils received Certificates of Merit from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for being “fully compliant” with the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) on December 14, 2022. The ACC’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) Coordinating Secretariat, which falls under the Office of the Commissioner ACC, worked in collaboration with the NACS Steering

Speaking at the certification ceremony at the Cathedral Hall, 3 Gloucester Street, Freetown, the Commissioner ACC, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq, expressed sincere gratitude to the MDAs and Local Councils for their dedication and support in the fight against corruption through implementation and adaptation of the NACS recommendations into their operations. This was done on behalf of the NACS Coordinating Secretariat and the NACS Steering Committee. Commissioner Kaifala declared himself “happy for the amount of collaboration and assistance to the battle against corruption.”

The ACC Czar advised them to keep using the preventive approach rather than setting up an instance for prosecution.

He expressed his gratitude to the NACS Steering Committee for continuing to work to ensure that MDAs and Local Councils adopted the NACS recommendations.

Francess Alghali, Chair of the NACS Steering Committee and Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office, emphasized the importance of the certification event in her statement, expressing their gratitude and pride for the completely compliant MDAs and Local Councils. She congratulated these MDAs’ Integrity Management Committees (IMCs) for playing a crucial part in overseeing and carrying out the NACS recommendations.

She went on to say that prevention is crucial in the battle against corruption since it goes beyond simple prosecution. She advised other MDAs and Local Councils to implement structures and policies that will combat corruption if they had not acted upon the NACS recommendations.

The Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie, had earlier thanked the MDAs and Local Councils for their positive contributions to the battle against corruption. Mr. Ngobie alleged, “You have been acting your role out there without realizing that you are being watched.”

Additionally, he said that the Commission is really happy to have the Steering Committee in the Vice President’s Office since it demonstrates a strong political commitment to the fight against corruption.

Other MDAs and Local Councils that have not yet complied fully and are falling behind were urged by him to stand up and take on the challenge of putting the NACS recommendations into practice. “There will be less questioning the more passengers we have,” he noted.

The House of Parliament, the Ministry of Defense, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, the Office of National Security, the Office of the Vice President, the Bo City Council, the Koinadugu District Council, the Makeni City Council, and the Bombali District Council, to name a few, participated in the first-ever certification ceremony by the NACS Secretariat and Steering Committee.

Additionally, it encourages and motivates additional MDAs that have not complied to do so in the future.

One might remember that the 2021 Monitoring Report of the NACS’s implementation showed an 84% compliance percentage across all MDAs observed.

All MDAs and Local Councils are encouraged to collaborate and assist the NACS implementation process because the NACS Secretariat firmly believes that there is potential for improvement.

It also serves as an inspiration and motivation to other MDAs who have not complied to do so in the future.

It could be recalled that the 2021 Monitoring Report of the implementation of the NACS indicated an 84% compliance rate among all MDAs monitored.

The NACS Secretariat strongly believes that there is room for improvement and therefore encourages all MDAs and Local Councils to cooperate and support the NACS implementation process.