By: Thaimu Bai Sesay (Intern)
Providing inexorable leadership in monitoring the Skills for Development Fund (SDF) Project, The Anti Corruption Commission has on Friday 13 January 2023 witnessed the “On the spot” working visit and monitoring of the Skills for Development Fund Project in Kenema.
Launched on 11 June 2020, The Sierra Leone Skills Development Fund is a 22 million United States Dollars project funded by the World Bank and the Government of Sierra Leone. The project’s primary objective was to develop a demand-led skills development system to support Sierra Leone’s Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy. It aimed at providing structured skills training and capacity building for young persons to be self-employable.
Addressing the Agronomic Fish Farming trainees, staff and administrators in a conference at the premises of Partners in Infrastructure and Development Initiative PIFDI & Co Ltd in Kenema, ACC Deputy Commissioner Foday Ngobie intimated that the commission is enthusiastic to know the implementation of the project, experiences, concerns of the trainees and expectations of the project.
ACC Commissioner disclosed that the commission was fully committed to ensuring that the resources dedicated to the training and for the trainees were safe and not mismanaged. He admonished trainees of the project to take the training process seriously and ensure to acquire all the rudiments in the training field. Ngobie encouraged them to make their concerns known to the ACC as he assured them of a swift and unbiased response.
Samuel Alieu, one of the instructors at the Partners in Infrastructure and Development Initiative PIFDI & Co Ltd intimated that the team which comprised 30 trainees have their project site in Segbwema in Njaluahun Chiefdom, Kailuhun District, where fish ponds have been established. He affirmed that all trainees have been provided with the required fish farming and functional literacy skills.
Instructor Alieu commended the Deputy Commissioner and team for the working visit. As similar engagements had been held by the Deputy Commissioner in other districts where the project was implemented, he acknowledged that the engagements have reassured them and the trainees that the government is profoundly interested in monitoring the project.
Being in charge of the implementation of the Grievance Redress Mechanism GRM where complaints and grievances are being made, ACC reassured commitment to addressing issues in consonant with other project stakeholders and holding people breaching the ACC Act accountable.