In his presentation, Deputy Director Public Education and Outreach Department Patrick Sandi underscored, the PNB is an anonymous reporting platform, which gives citizens the unconditional opportunity to report their experiences of bribery in public sector institutions through the 515 toll free line, the mobile APP, and the PNB website www.pnb.gov.sl. Mr. Sandi disclosed PNB is a three-year project, targeting five MDAs as pilot; Education, Health, Water, Energy and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), in five areas as pilot; Western Area Urban, Rural, Bombali, Bo, and Kenema. Deputy Director stressed on the need for collaboration with tertiary institutions, as they are a pilot sector captured under the Ministry of Education, noting incidences of bribery are also reported on colleges and universities. He explained the processes reports go through once they are made on the PNB platform and emphasized the support and cooperation of the MDAs for a successful implementation of the project.
Commenting on the current state of reports made on the platform, Data Analyst PNB project Lewelyn O’Connor emphasized the platform has a structured questionnaire which callers or people making the report would go through. He furthered that the platform as of date has recorded, 2,972 reports on the education sector. In the category of I paid a Bribe, 2,623, I did not pay a Bribe 197 and I met an honest official, 152. He provided details of the report by pilot districts, monetary value of bribes paid, the services for which the bribes were paid, and the age bracket. Mr. O’Connor said, Kenema District made the highest number of reports, 1,137, and the service recorded as bribes paid for highly is grades and exams. On the aspect of I did not pay a Bribe, Kenema also recorded highest figures 71. The Data Analyst assured his listeners of the security of the platform, preventing it from people making repetitive reports.
Principal of the College, Dr. Sahr Fillie in his submission maintained, his institution has taken enormous strides in the fight against bribery and corruption. He has on his campus a billboard reading “Corruption Free Zone” and said he has established an Examination Task Force to deal with examination malpractices. Dr. Fillie assured the Commission of his college’s total support to the anti-bribery campaign.
Speaking earlier, Planning Officer FTC Prince Brainard on behalf of the Principal and staff welcomed the ACC team to the college. He stated that the college has introduced the Performance Contract system as an anti-graft tool in the institution, to enable lecturers deliver on their tasks and responsibilities.
Questions and answers climaxed the engagement, which was chaired by Public Education Officer Magnus Bendu.
