Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has met with a team of subject-specific experts assembled by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to discuss perspectives and strategic directions in the ongoing fight against corruption in the country.

The initiative represents a robust public-private partnership aimed at confronting graft, a significant impediment to development across Sierra Leone. The strategy aims to build an ethical, accountable nation with zero tolerance for corruption, promoting integrity, transparency, accountability, and the rule of law.

ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Keifala Esq, while introducing the team, emphasised the importance of the President’s insights for shaping the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2023-2027.

“We are here to have a conversation with His Excellency on his perspective on the fight against corruption in the country. His guidance and direction will be invaluable to the expert consultants,” said Commissioner Keifala. He highlighted that the team was dedicated to creating a strategy that embodied the views and contributions of all citizens on how to combat graft effectively.

Umaru Fofana, chairman of the team of experts, informed President Bio that they had been working since their formation in 2023. He said they had also travelled extensively across the country, engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including ordinary citizens, political parties, and state institutions.

Fofana noted that their discussions focused on the government’s five big priorities and the public’s perspectives on corruption. “We are here to listen to your perspectives on how we can fight corruption more efficiently as a nation,” Fofana stated, acknowledging the persistent nature of corruption despite numerous efforts to curb it.

In response, President Bio expressed gratitude for the team’s dedication, acknowledging the complexities of fighting corruption. He emphasized that human tendencies to exploit public funds make the fight challenging and stressed the importance of legal constraints to curb such tendencies.

Highlighting the risks corruption poses to national security and development sectors such as health, education, and agriculture, President Bio underscored the need for national acceptance of the anti-corruption fight. He called for more proactive measures, including punitive actions, effective institutional arrangements, audits, and preventive strategies.

He also urged the ACC and expert consultants to consider technological solutions like blockchain and a cashless society to reduce human interference and enhance transparency in the fight against corruption.