The Southern Region Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), has on Wednesday, 10th July, 2024, interacted with instructors and students of Sierra Leone Opportunities Industrialization Centre (SLOIC) in order to sensitize them on the adverse consequences of corruption to the growth of the country’s middle level manpower. The engagement was held at the SLOIC Conference Hall at Mattru Road in Bo City.
Speaking to staff and students of SLOIC, ACC’s Senior Public Education Officer, Abdulai Saccoh, described the engagement as a show of the Commission's willingness to infuse integrity values in the minds of young Sierra Leoneans. Mr Saccoh lauded the efforts of the administration for nurturing the nation’s human resource. He acknowledged that in the midst of the challenges young people are confronted with, yet they decided to transform their lives through the acquisition of unique skills that would add value to their lives.
The Senior Public Education Officer admonished the students to prove their mettle and work diligently as the profession is a lifesaving enterprise. He said that ACC does not derive pleasure from putting people behind bars but will stop at nothing to prosecute the corrupt. He pointed out that the Commission has contributed immensely to accelerating the growth of technical education in the country.
Mr Saccoh however encouraged the trainees to see themselves as valuable component to sustainable development; adding that the realization of every policy or program plan is mostly effected by the middle level skilled manpower. He shared with his audience ACC’s toll free lines of 077985985/077986986 and 8515 (Africel) which they can use to report acts of corruption.
Earlier, while explaining the rationale of the meeting, ACC's Public Education Officer, David Garrick, said the visit to the institution was intended to heighten the understanding of the instructors and students on how corruption can undermine the acquisition of quality technical skills education. He assured the SLOIC administration of the Commission’s willingness to work with them to setup corruption prevention safeguards.
Mr Garrick said that the Commission does not work in isolation but collaboratively with other pillars of integrity to combat the scourge. He explained the benefits of reporting corruption, how to report and theprotection provided for informants and whistleblowers.
The Training Manager, SLOIC, Fatoma Musa, said that SLOIC was established to provide technical skills to young people so that they can be self-reliant. Mr Musa heaped praises on the Commission for its timely intervention to help shape the attitudes and thoughts of the students. He assured ACC of their unflinching support in combating graft and promised to institute anti-corruption measures in the management and utilization of the institution’s resources.
The engagement ended with a question and answer session.
