In a coordinated push to strengthen transparency and delivery of social assistance, the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Augustine Foday Ngobie intensified engagements with district monitors overseeing major Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSN) cash transfer programs in Pujehun, Tonkolili, and Falaba Districts.
The meetings took place in Makeni at the ACC regional office and at Makona, near Matotoka in Tonkolili District on 27 September 2025. They were conducted to build capacity, clarify monitoring responsibilities, and roll out enhanced accountability mechanisms as the PSSNYE project is scaling up to reach more vulnerable households.
In his statement, the DC described the engagements as part of a broader effort to ensure that funds reach intended beneficiaries quickly and securely, reduce leakages, and collect timely feedback on service delivery. In this regard, District Monitors who act as the local eyes and ears of the project, received refresher training on eligibility verification, digital payment reconciliation, complaints from the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) handling, and field reporting protocols.
“District-level monitoring is very important to the success of the PSSNYE project,” the DC said, adding "by strengthening the skills and tools of monitors on the ground, we can improve both the speed and transparency of cash transfers, and ensure that the concerns of beneficiaries are quickly addressed.” He admonished the monitors to take heed of the process and deviate from fraudulent activities whilst executing their duties. He reminded them that they are not only representing themselves but also the Commission.
Data Analyst, Momoh Vandi Gbetuwa, briefed the monitors on recent updates including mobile reporting applications and joint sessions with payment service providers and local authorities. These, he stressed, would map out data-sharing protocols, reconcile beneficiary lists, and payment records in real time. Gbetuwa also emphasized that monitors should not work in isolation, instructing them to proactively gather feedback from beneficiaries about the timing, adequacy, and accessibility of payments – with particular attention to women-headed households and persons with disabilities. Also, local GRMs were reviewed in the meetings with steps taken to ensure that complaints would be resolved and logged for a comprehensive project analysis within set timelines.
As the engagement climaxed, monitors highlighted series of constraints such as poor road network to remote communities, intermittent mobile connectivity, and insufficient staffing during peak payment periods especially the mobile network staff. To address these issues, the district coordinator explained that payment schedules, mobile verification units for hard-to-reach areas, and stronger partnerships with mobile operators would be used to help ensure that beneficiaries receive their payments. “This will allay their concerns,” he concluded.
