By: Problyn John Alpha
The Regional Manager of Anti-Corruption Commission Regional office East Kono Hawanatu Omotayo Kamara has urged the newly elected councilors of the Kono district council to declare their assets as soon as possible.
She made the clarion call during the maiden council meeting of the 5th council of the Kono district council at D O Barracks Koidu city Kono district on Thursday 14th September 2023.
She said the ACC Act of 2008 as amended in 2019 section 119 mandated all newly politically elected and appointed persons to declare their assets that is income and liability to the commission noting failing to do so there’s what she referred to as the ACC blanket fine which is fifty (50) million old Leones or five years imprisonment.
She further maintained that the said Act also gives the commission power to remove individual from office if found wanting. Manager Kamara allayed the abounding fears of the audience that asset declaration is not a witch hunt but a best practice that maintains respectability.
She thanked the council for making it possible for the Commission to interface with the newly elected councilors who according to her the commission referred to as PEP that is Politically Exposed Persons noting as public officers the councilors are obliged to be accountable to the commission and Audit service with regard anything giving to them for implementation either by the Kono district council or it donor partners.
Whilst informing the audience that the doors of the commission are always opened to all for the sharing of vital information Hawanatu Omotayo Kamara pointed out that the commission is hoping to see all and sundry maintain the Transparency and Accountability Act of 2006 and therefore strictly warned against corruption as the law and not the individual is supreme.
She pleaded with the councilors to revive the village health and other committees in order to make work easier for government functionaries. Conclusively, the regional manager Anti-Corruption Commission Regional office East Kono disclosed plans of regularly interfacing with the councilors and the council on the modus operandi of the commission.