By: Problyn J. Alpha
In a bid to deepen collaboration in the fight against corruption in Kono District, the newly appointed Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Michael Sesay, convened a meeting with media practitioners at the ACC Directorate office in Koidu. During the engagement, Director Sesay sought the unwavering support of the media in working closely with the Commission to combat corruption at all levels.
This meeting comes in the wake of a recent discovery by the ACC of at least thirteen (13) cartons of Free Health Care drugs clandestinely stored in a male toilet at the District Referral Hospital (Koidu Government Hospital). The discovery was made possible through the tip-off of a whistleblower who alerted the Commission.
Director Sesay emphasized that the Commission is intensifying its corruption prevention efforts and underscored the importance of strategic partnerships in achieving this goal. He highlighted that the media is a critical ally in the anti-corruption fight, noting its ability to inform, educate, and hold public officials accountable.
He disclosed that Kono District is ranked 20th in the distribution sequence of Free Health Care commodities to referral hospitals across the country. The dispatch of medical supplies is scheduled to begin on May 3, 2025. The consignments will be loaded onto trucks on June 3, 2025, and on the same day, the loaded trucks will leave the Central Medical Store in Freetown for Kono. The six trucks carrying medical consignments are expected to arrive in Kono on Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
These timelines, according to Director Sesay, are intended to allow journalists to monitor and report on the arrival, storage, and distribution of the medical consignments at the District Medical Store in Kono.
Speaking during the meeting, Senior Public Education Officer of the ACC, Sam P. Gogra, highlighted the Commission’s multi-faceted approach to public education. These include outreach in public places, customized stakeholder meetings, partnership engagements, school campaigns, on-the-spot checks, and media collaborations. He described the media as “the oxygen in the fight against corruption” and encouraged all citizens to “Resist, Reject, and Report” corruption—the ACC’s 3Rs method.
On his part, Dauda Kaikai, Senior Prosecutor at the ACC Kono Directorate, outlined several offences under the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 (as amended), including the misappropriation of public funds and property, and the soliciting of bribes or advantages. He also hinted at the possibility of new offences being added to strengthen the Act.
The meeting concluded with an interactive session where journalists asked thought-provoking questions and pledged to support the Commission’s efforts. Both parties agreed to work in synergy to combat corruption, a menace that continues to undermine the development of Kono District and the country as a whole.