The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) North-East Regional Office has joined forces with the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) to enhance compliance with procurement regulations across Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and Local Councils in the region.
During a specialized engagement held on Monday, 22nd September 2025, at the NPPA Regional Office in Makeni, the ACC Regional Director, Fatu Florence Kamara, emphasized the critical importance of integrity and transparency in procurement processes to prevent the misuse of public resources. She reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to supporting NPPA in enforcing procurement regulations.
“As sister institutions, the ACC is always ready and determined to support NPPA in fulfilling its mandate. We are united in working towards a common goal, which is the development of Sierra Leone,” she said.
Mrs. Kamara expressed concern over the persistence of corruption within procurement activities across MDAs and Local Councils. She highlighted the ACC’s ongoing efforts through public education, prevention, and investigation, urging NPPA staff to uphold ethics, integrity, and professionalism. She also announced that the ACC would conduct on-the-spot checks to monitor staff punctuality and attendance.
NPPA’s Assistant Director and Regional Head for the North, Patricia Rowe, welcomed the ACC’s support and praised the initiative. She reiterated NPPA’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the ACC. Reflecting on the decade-long partnership between the two institutions, Rowe noted the significant improvements made in the procurement regime.
“We are committed to working with the ACC. This continued support from the ACC Regional Office is a positive step. If we get procurement right, the issues of corruption will be minimized,” she emphasized. Rowe thanked the ACC for the engagement and encouraged NPPA staff to adhere to regulations and resist corrupt practices.
In addressing specific corruption risks in procurement, the ACC Regional Manager for North-East, Al-Hassan Sesay, reminded NPPA staff of their responsibilities under the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008 (amended in 2019). He outlined key offenses relevant to their work, including offering, soliciting, or accepting bribes, receiving gifts for corrupt purposes, abuse of office, bid rigging, corrupt transactions with agents, and misappropriation of public or donor funds. Sesay reaffirmed the Commission’s preventive approach and urged NPPA staff to maintain integrity at all times.
ACC Intern, Ambrose Tieh, also discussed the mechanisms for reporting corruption to the Commission, highlighting the confidentiality, anonymity, and whistleblower protection guaranteed by the law. Tieh informed the staff about the provision of a 10 percent reward to informants upon the successful recovery of stolen resources, while also warning against false reporting, which is a punishable offense.