The country’s vigorous fight against corruption in the past months has seen an unprecedented recovery of over Twelve Billion Leones, most of which has been paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. The country has also seen a massive 71% pass in the Millennium Challenge Corporation scorecard in the area of ‘Control of Corruption’. During President Julius Maada Bio’s recent visit to the United States, he spoke on the need for a robust fight against corruption in a bid to provide an enabling environment for investment and economic growth.
The ACC Commissioner said, civil society activists can help provide the country’s desired result in the fight against corruption. He said the training was a way of equipping the participants as they engage in their advocacy and public education drive. “This country has suffered for too long and it is about time the scourge of corruption is defeated,” he said. Mr. Kaifala described the activists as soldiers in the anti-graft campaign and therefore called on them to take ownership of the fight against corruption, which, he said, is meant to launder the image of the country and help in achieving the desired developmental aspirations of the Government.
Mr. Kaifala described the proposed amendments of the current anti-corruption legislation as a game-changer in the fight against corruption in the country. “It is a calculated attempt to address the current challenges in the fight against corruption,” he noted.
The Deputy Commissioner of ACC Shollay Davies expressed delight that many more young people are involved in activism and partnering with the Commission. He said CSOs play the traditional role of advocacy and raising awareness about societal ills, pointing out that such a role can only be achieved if they are empowered.
Mr. Davies said advocacy helps in providing cogent information and in correcting the misconceptions and misinformation some members of the public hold about the Commission. He described the training as one of the means of implementing the memorandums of understanding signed between each of the participating civil society organisations and the ACC.
The Director of Public Education and Outreach Department, ACC presented on the structure and operations of the ACC, whilst the Director of Coordination at the Commission, Emmanuel Koivaya Amara Esq., presented on the offences of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008 and its proposed amendments, which had been tabled in Parliament for approval. A question and answer session climaxed the training.
