By: ACC Communication Unit
Anti Corruption Commission has launched its National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024 – 2028 on Monday 9th December 2024 at the Commission’s Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown.
The Sierra Leone’s National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) is a comprehensive framework instrument designed to combat corruption, especially in the Public Service, and promote integrity across all sectors of society.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) noted that a coherent NACS is crucial to ensuring sustainable development and boosting public confidence in Government institutions by fostering accountability, transparency, and adherence to the rule of law.
Instead of adopting a purely prescriptive approach, the NACS adopts a diagnostic and participatory methodology that addresses the root causes of corruption, the obstacles to effective control measures, and the potential opportunities for transformative engagements with stakeholders.
The Strategy, in conjunction with its Implementation Action Plan, calls for public institutions at the local and national levels to fully embrace the NACS and strive toward altering corruption in the public sector.
The NACS would be implemented using a multifaceted approach that incorporates technology and preventive actions in particular. Legislative changes, capacity-building programs, public awareness campaigns, and cooperative efforts with international partners and civil society organizations will all be a part of this approach.
The Anti-Corruption Commission would lead the coordination and implementation of the 2024 – 2028 NACS taking the following into consideration:
Forge a workable relationship with the Judiciary to adjudicate corruption cases effectively and speedily. Enhance collaboration and information-sharing mechanisms with Government agencies, law enforcement authorities, civil society organizations and the media.
Establish integrity units within Government institutions to promote transparency, ethics, and accountability and protect whistle-blowers.
A National Steering Committee would be instituted to oversee the NACS’s overall implementation while the Hon. Vice President will provide oversight.
The Implementation Matrix for Ministries, Departments and Agencies will outline specific activities, responsible entities, timelines, and performance indicators for each objective and priority areas identified.
The 2024- 2028 NACS is anchored on four strategic objectives
Strategic Direction 1 – Bolstering Preventive Measures, such as accountability and transparency, in the highest-spending MDAs, which are known to have high propensity for corruption and have a strong procurement focus;
Strategic Direction 2 – Mitigate Delivery Risks associated with corruption in the Government priorities in the Medium National Development Plan focusing on five initiatives as anchors for faster and lasting transformation: Feed Salone, Human Capital Development, Youth Employment scheme, Technology and Infrastructure and revamping the Public Service Architecture
Strategic Direction 3 – Instil a Culture of Social Justice that is linked to the distribution of funds and social justice organizations, as well as instilling accountability and transparency.
Strategic Direction 4 – Encourage accountability, openness, and better governance in organizations that provide utility services.
The Strategy should not be seen as a tool to prevent ill-gotten gains, but rather as a way to ensure the equitable distribution of public resources for the benefit of all, rather than enriching a select few.
Implementation Risks:
Political Interference: Risks of political interference in efforts to fight corruption could undermine the independence and effectiveness of anti-corruption institutions, notably the ACC and the Audit Service Commission. This may include starving them of funds and unduly influencing their operations.
Capacity Constraints: Limited institutional capacity and technical expertise may hinder the implementation of anti-corruption measures.
Resistance to Change: Resistance from vested interests and entrenched corruption networks – and even the general citizenry – may impede progress in implementing reforms and initiatives.
Resource Constraints: Inadequate funding and resource constraints may pose challenges to implementing NACS activities and initiatives.
Failure to provide the requisite space for civil society organizations and the media to carry out the social audit function effectively.