By: Ilyasa Baa
As the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) is struggling over the APC lower level elections, it is thinking about organising a conference to bring all political parties together to discuss on the mode of the campaigns ahead of the June 24 2023 elections.
Chairman of the PPRC, Abdulai Bangura has said one of the issues to be discussed in the proposed conference has to do with how street rallies should be conducted so they are not used to perpetuate violence by supporters.
He noted that rallies had been reduced to mere jamboree or street show which is against the code of conduct for political parties. “I intend going round the country to sensitize on equal access to every community by all registered political parties”, said the PPRC boss.
According to him, one of the greatest successes of the Commission is the repeal of its Act which gives the Commission substantial enforcement powers. He cited the expansion of the workforce from less than forty to seventy – eight staff with six Directorates including the Directorate of Finance which is new in the Commission.
He said before there were four members in the entire Commission but now they are five in number which the addition of a Chartered Accountant to be the watchman over how political parties deal with their finances.
ACC Plays Host To The Guinean National Anti-Corruption And Good Governance Promotion Agency
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday 9th January 2022, received another delegation from the Guinean National Anti-Corruption and Good Governance Promotion Agency (NACGGPA) headed by its Deputy Executive Secretary, Mr. Mohamed Konate, at the Commission’s Conference Room, 3 Gloucester Street Freetown.
The delegation comprising other key personnel of the Agency is in Sierra Leone for a week to understudy the operations of the Commission, especially its core operational departments like Public Education, Report Centre, National Anti -Corruption Strategy, Prevention, etc, that have been very effective and robust tools in the fight against corruption.
Stating the purpose of their visit at an inception meeting, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the NACGGPA, Mr. Mohamed Konate disclosed that based on the feedback received from their Boss (the Executive Secretary of the NACGGPA) and Colleagues who had previously visited the ACC-SL in November 2022 and wanting to learn more from the wealth of meaningful experiences of the ACC, they were in Sierra Leone again to study.
He stated that they were thrilled with the Commission’s internal systems, practices, and strides that have been yielding huge successes to the admiration of many.
He continued that the week-long working visit was to provide them with sufficient insights and real-time experiences on the operations of the Commission, and how it has been able to cascade its very successful community sensitization and media campaigns, which they intend to use to strengthen theirs.
Mr. Konate furthered that though Guinea was passing through its share of difficult moments, the Presidential will to fight corruption supersedes the difficulties faced. “Since we started work, we have conducted many missions and we want to complete them and ensure that they work effectively before and after the transition that our nation is going through. This has necessitated our visit to the ACC-SL since both institution share similar objectives” he said.
In his statement, ACC’s Deputy Commissioner, Augustine Foday Ngobie, expressed appreciation to the delegation for yet again choosing the ACC-SL for a study visit as both countries share a lot in common, historically, geographically, culturally, economically, etc.
He assured the delegation of the Commission’s unwavering commitment to share experience and collaborate with them on particularly its Public Education structures which have been one of the reasons behind its success. “We want to assure you that we will give you insights on our operations, as we have been doing to others who have previously come to seek and share knowledge and information on how we have been able to go this far in the fight against corruption”.
He added that public awareness, prevention, enforcement, and vibrant/robust leadership have been at the bedrock of the successes recorded by the Commission in the anti-graft campaign.
The Deputy Commissioner furthered that the mandate of the ACC as provided for by the Anti-Corruption Act 2008, as amended in 2019, is to use a tripartite tool in its anti-graft campaign. These tools are; Public Education, Corruption Prevention, and Intelligence and Prosecution, all of which play different critical roles.
Mr. Ngobie noted that the Presidential will to fight corruption, manifested by the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, has been a great source of inspiration and support so far in Sierra Leone’s anti-graft journey over the years.
He, therefore encouraged the Deputy Executive Secretary and his team to take notes, as the Commission will provide them with the required information and support required by them to arm them adequately in setting up a robust Anti-Graft agency in Guinea.
It could be recalled that, sometime last year, another delegation from Guinea headed by the Executive Secretary, Saikou Amadou Diallo, had also paid a study visit to ACC-SL to understudy the general operations of the Commission in the last four years, so they can replicate them in the Guinea’s anti-graft institution.
The delegation which will be here for a week, will be having detailed fact-finding and experience-sharing engagements with the heads of respective Departments and Units to understudy their various activities and roles. They will also be visiting other sister institutions that perform similar functions to promote integrity and accountability.
©️ Public Relations Unit, ACC
