By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO-ACC.
The Anti-Corruption Commission, Sierra Leone (ACC-SL) from Monday 5th to Thursday 8th August, 2024 at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Youth in Action for Development (YAD) in Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone, held a four-day Retreat with stakeholders in the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Empowerment (PSSNYE) project, geared towards a post-mortem of the mandate of the ACC in the project, share experiences, and craft recommendations for the effective and efficient roll-out of the project, especially the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) component which the Commission is superintending.
The Retreat brought together the ACC Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Directors, Regional Managers, Finance Officers, staff of the PSSNYE project, and representatives from key PSSNYE implementing partners, including the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA).
In his statement at the opening of the Retreat, ACC's Deputy Commissioner, Augustine Foday Ngobie, encouraged all present to take advantage of the occasion and feel free to discuss and brainstorm on every presentation, share experiences gained and lessons learned in the implementation of the different components of the PSSNYE project, and bring out valid recommendations that will enhance the effectiveness of the GRM and the overall success of the GoSL, World Bank, and UNICEF funded PSSNYE project. He reminded participants of the sacred duties the Commission is charged with in the PSSNYE project.
While interacting with the participants, the People’s Commissioner of the ACC, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., was full of commendations for the gains made in the roll-out of all Social Safety Net (SSN) projects, something he attributed to the involvement of the ACC. “No doubt, our involvement in the roll-out of all SSN and the current PSSNYE project has been positive. Unconditional cash transfer exercises that have been done under the watch of the ACC have not been undermined by corruption. We must continue this trajectory and do even more. The vulnerable Sierra Leoneans on whose behalf these resources have been committed must get what belongs to them. No one should interfere with the layers of processes and procedures to be followed in ensuring this,” he stated.
Commissioner Kaifala Esq. reminded all staff that the mandate of the ACC is principally to lead the national fight against corruption. He admonished all not to allow a slip away from every task and duty they are assigned. “Responsibility is placed on us all and public expectation is so huge. We must never relax on our laurels. A tactical retreat is never a defeat, but an opportunity to introspect, recalibrate, and come back stronger and better than before. We must leave this place with an even more resolved dedication and a clearer path of where we are going and how we must get there in the roll-out of the PSSNYE and other SSN-related issues,” he furthered.
The ACC boss listened to all concerns, challenges, and experiences of the team, regarding the roll-out of the PSSNYE and other SSN projects and together identified lines of action to address them. He assured the team of Management’s readiness to ensure available resources and other needed support are promptly allocated for project operations.
To guarantee that resources reach the intended beneficiaries without challenges, the Government of Sierra Leone, the World Bank, and UNICEF’s $42 Million funded five-year PSSNYE project, like the SSN project, financed measures to prevent corruption and established an independent Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) outfit, superintended by the ACC.
The corruption prevention and accountability measures in the PSSNYE include; independent monitoring of the project to ensure NaCSA, City Councils, Ministry of Youth Affairs, National Youth Commission, Orange Mobile company, and other implementing partners strictly adhere to the outlined program rules and procedures, robust information campaigns on corruption prevention and the grievance redress measures on the dangers of corruption in the project, ACC’s participation in the Project, and to inform beneficiaries about the existence of grievance and corruption reporting mechanisms; and in-depth community and chiefdom level pieces of training to promote social accountability.
