By: Edward N. Blake, Senior Public Education Officer, ACC-Kenema
The Regional Director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Kenema, Hawanatu Omotayo Kamara, and her team held a customized engagement with the senior management of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) in Kenema on Tuesday, 21st May 2025.
This meeting was held amid the Commission’s upgrade of its regional offices to directorates.
As the newly appointed and first female Regional Director in the Eastern Region, Mrs Kamara emphasized that NASSIT plays a vital role in supporting workers, pensioners, and beneficiaries and must, therefore, be a critical partner in the national fight against corruption.
Mrs Kamara acknowledged the longstanding and cordial relationship between the two institutions, noting that the ACC has, over the years, drawn NASSIT’s attention to high-risk areas through systemic reviews of its benefit schemes. She also underscored the need for integrity in interactions between NASSIT inspectors and clients and encouraged internal referral mechanisms for timely resolution of public complaints.
On the issue of unexplained wealth, she reminded all public officers of their legal obligation to declare their assets truthfully and on time.
The Regional Director also revealed that the ACC had, in the past, directed some defaulting institutions to pay overdue NASSIT contributions for their employees, resulting in the recovery of millions of Leones.
"An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of prosecution,” she emphasized, “and hitting the pockets of the corrupt often hurts more than a prison sentence.”
Declaring the purpose of the meeting, Senior Public Education Officer Edward N. Blake assured participants that customized meetings are part of the Commission’s preventive strategy aimed at engaging public institutions on corruption risks in a transparent and non-adversarial atmosphere. He pointed out that key risk areas such as fuel, maintenance, and procurement must be given due attention.
Mr. Blake, however, warned that failure to act on ACC’s recommendations could trigger investigations, an arm of the Commission known for its firm and rigorous stance.
Also speaking on corruption prevention, Abiebatu Abu-Mattia, the Prevention Officer at ACC-Kenema, cited Section 7 of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 as amended in 2019, which empowers the Commission to take all necessary steps to prevent, suppress, and eradicate corruption. She urged NASSIT staff to reject, resist, and report corruption whenever and wherever it occurs.
In his welcome address, the Deputy Regional Manager of NASSIT-Kenema, Sovula B. Saffa, apologized for the absence of his supervisor and other senior staff who were on annual leave. He expressed gratitude to the ACC for redefining the fight against corruption and commended the new Regional Director for proactively engaging NASSIT. Mr. Saffa emphasized that although NASSIT is not a traditional banking institution, it handles significant amounts of public funds and thus must remain accountable and transparent. He pledged the agency’s continued collaboration with the ACC.
The meeting ended with valuable contributions from the NASSIT Benefit Officer and Public Relations Officer, followed by an interactive question and answer session that drew the curtains on what was deemed a fruitful engagement.
