AYV News, July 12, 2026
The Anti-Corruption Commission Sierra Leone (ACC-SL) and the Transparency International Sierra Leone (TI-SL) Chapter have joined anti-corruption institutions, governments, civil society organisations and citizens across Africa to commemorate African Anti-Corruption Day, reaffirming their commitment to strengthening integrity, transparency and accountability.
This year’s observance is held under the theme: “Scaling Up the Promotion of Integrity and Anti-Corruption Actions Across Africa,” highlighting the need for stronger institutions, ethical leadership, effective partnerships and increased citizen participation in the fight against corruption.
The annual commemoration serves as a platform for African Union Member States and stakeholders to renew their commitment to building transparent, accountable and resilient institutions that support sustainable development and advance the aspirations of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
The African Anti-Corruption Day marks the adoption of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (AUCPCC) on 11 July 2003 in Maputo, Mozambique. The Convention entered into force in 2006 and has since been ratified by the majority of African Union Member States, including Sierra Leone, making it the continent’s principal legal framework for promoting integrity and combating corruption.
According to the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC), this year’s theme reflects the urgent need to strengthen integrity systems and scale up anti-corruption efforts through robust institutions, ethical governance, strategic partnerships and active citizen engagement.
In Sierra Leone, the ACC, civil society organisations and other accountability institutions continue to implement measures aimed at promoting integrity across public institutions. Key initiatives include the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (2024–2028), the establishment and strengthening of Integrity Management Committees, corruption risk assessments, systems reviews and sustained public education campaigns.
The Commission also highlighted the country’s outstanding achievement in asset declaration compliance, noting that the current compliance rate stands at 99.54 percent, the highest recorded on the African continent. However, the ACC and TI-SL stressed the importance of intensifying the verification of declared assets to further strengthen accountability.
The public was reminded that informants, whistleblowers and witnesses are fully protected under Sections 81 and 82 of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008 (as amended in 2019). The recently operationalised Whistleblower and Witness Protection Regulations, 2025 further reinforce safeguards for individuals who report corruption in good faith.
As part of the commemoration, the ACC and Transparency International Sierra Leone called on all Sierra Leoneans to uphold integrity as both a personal responsibility and a national value, reject corruption in all its forms and actively support initiatives that promote transparency, accountability and ethical leadership across the country.
