AYV News, July 11, 2023
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has heightened sensitisation engagements on grievance redress mechanism in the east and southern regions of Sierra Leone.
The move is a continuation effort to instill integrity in the Government of Sierra Leone, World Bank and UNICEF supported Social Safety Net (SSN) project.
These engagements centred on the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) component in the SSN project, chiefly implemented by the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA). The ACC spearheads the GRM program.
The sensitisation engagements took place at Leimeh Village, Small Bo chiefdom, Kenema district and Moyamba Junction, Fakunya chiefdom in Moyamba district.
It brought together over 100 beneficiaries from Tainahun and Kommendeh communities, Small Bo chiefdom in Kenema district and Ngobehum, Kpetema, Malawendeh and Mayambawo communities in Moyamba district respectively.
The engagements served to inform beneficiaries on the multiple components of the SSN project and its transitioning to the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Empowerment (PSSNYE) program, which will also be championed by the Government of Sierra Leone with support from the World Bank.
Speaking at the different engagements, Public Education Officer ACC, Christina Jusu commended the people for expressing profound gratitude for the project and the role of ACC, adding that, it is now incumbent on them to put the monies into good use.
She informed them that the monies will not have to be available to them eternally as other equally deprived communities await the opportunity.
“The scheme was designed to benefit people living in the most abject forms of poverty, and so it is so much expected that these monies should be used judiciously to help improve your living standards”, Madam Jusu averred.
She therefore encouraged them to report to the ACC any complaint or dissatisfaction during any stage of the process through the Community or District Monitors.
Public Relations Assistant Alex A. Bah, in his statement explained the background of the entire project, and said that it is the experience of corruption in previous projects, that informed the involvement of the ACC.
He said that the World Bank and other donors now have huge trust and confidence in the Government’s capacity to implement this project with sheer transparency and integrity.
Mr. Bah however, encouraged the people to support the fight against corruption by way of desisting completely from engaging in it, and also ensure that they report any suspected instances of corruption in the SSN program or elsewhere.
He also informed them of the massive strides of the Commission especially in the last five years. He further highlighted few corruption offences as provided for by the Anti-Corruption Act 2000 as amended in 2019.
The presentation of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials marked the end of the engagements.
