By: Alex A. Bah, Public Relations Officer, ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has called for integrity, accountability and probity to be placed at the centre of the Draft Code of Conduct for Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other Political Appointees in Sierra Leone.
ACC Deputy Commissioner Augustine Foday Ngobie made the call on Thursday, 1 October 2026, at a consultation workshop organised by the Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs (MoPAPA), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), at the Foreign Service Academy in Tower Hill, Freetown.
Mr. Ngobie described the initiative as historic, noting that it represents a deliberate effort to establish clear standards of conduct for persons entrusted with political and public responsibilities.
He said the ACC welcomed the initiative because integrity, accountability and probity in public life are central to its mandate. Drawing on the Commission’s experience in supporting Codes of Conduct in key sectors, he said the ACC’s participation would provide guidance on critical issues, including conflicts of interest, asset declaration, the registration of gifts and other ethical obligations of public office.
The Deputy Commissioner urged participants to contribute meaningfully to refining a Code that is realistic, workable and capable of securing institutional ownership and compliance.
He stressed that the Code should not be viewed merely as an instrument for restricting the conduct of political appointees, but as a framework for strengthening the discharge of their mandates, promoting the judicious use of public resources and State assets, and enhancing accountability to citizens.
Mr. Ngobie commended President Brigadier (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio for his leadership in advancing the initiative and thanked the Ministry, consultant, committee and UNDP for supporting the process.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, Hon. Amara Kallon, commended the ACC for its leadership and commitment to the process.
He said strengthening ethical conduct among persons entrusted with public responsibility is essential to building public confidence in governance.
According to the Minister, the Draft Code places accountability and integrity at the heart of public leadership by establishing standards for the conduct of political office holders and the judicious use of public resources.
He stressed that citizens are not an interruption to government’s business, but the reason government exists.
Secretary to the President, Barba Brima Fortune, said codified standards of behaviour could protect office holders from undue pressure, strengthen accountability and support effective governance and national development.
Earlier, Deputy Minister Hon. Philip T. Tondoneh said persons entrusted with public responsibility have an obligation to uphold the highest standards of conduct.
He noted that the Code should reflect the realities of governance in Sierra Leone.
The consultation brought together government officials, representatives of public institutions, UNDP, civil society, the media and other stakeholders to review and refine the Draft Code, with the aim of establishing a practical and credible framework for ethical conduct among Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other Political Appointees.