4. CONTD FROM PG.1 knowledge, and deliverable gaps, etc. connected with the implementation of the PSSNYE and other SSN projects. "The GRM has evolved and expanded. We now have other partners like MoYA, NAYCOM, and the Councils. We must all ensure a thorough understanding of this GRM Handbook and commit to its full implementation. This is critical and hence this training," Mr. Turay underscored. The five - day training, which ran from 9 th to 13th October, 2023, delved into the GRM Handbook and provided participants with sufficient knowledge, skills and aptitude for a successful roll - out of the project. The opening was chaired by the Projects Coordinator, ACC, Patrick Morovia. ACC ’ s Public Education Officer, David Garrick, said the engagement was a deliberate attempt to interface with health workers in order to draw their attention to some of the unlawful practices that are of concern to the ACC and to promote professional ethics and integrity values in public life. Mr. Garrick urged them to continue to do the right thing even without supervision, emphasizing the significance of upholding integrity, transparency and probity. A question - and - answer session formed part of the engagement . CONTD FROM PG.2 By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO - ACC

3. Page 3 T he Manager of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) Regional Office in Kono Hawanatu Omotayo Kamara has, called on farmers in the District to make good use of the fertilizers supplied to them by the Government of Sierra Leone to aid their farming activities. The Manager was speaking on 3 rd October, 2023 during the supply of fertilizers by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) to farmers, at the MAF office in Koidu City, Kono District. Mrs. Kamara told the farmers that the ACC ’ s mandate is to ensure value for money in all Government and Donor expenditures. She said that the fertilizers the farmers were about to receive was part of the Government ’ s measures to improve farming so that the country would be self - sufficient. Agriculture, she furthered, is one of the top five priorities of the Government and that farmers should do everything it takes to support the Government ’ s agenda by ensuring food for all. The ACC Regional Manager assured the farmers that their hopes for a better Sierra Leone would be restored if they ensured the fertilizers were directed at the right purpose and tried to imbibe the values of integrity, transparency and accountability in their work. She said that agriculture is the bedrock of development and a vehicle to the country ’ s attainment of food self - sufficiency. Mrs. Kamara also said that the Government of Sierra Leone has spent huge sums of money on the agricultural sector, but that corruption has been an impediment causing the country to import rice instead of growing its own. She stated that corruption has permeated every aspect of society, something that has made public support pivotal in addressing it. “ There will be huge improvement in the lives of the farmers and their trade if they joined and support the fight against corruption in the District, ” she affirmed. Speaking on the need for collaboration and partnership, Mrs. Kamara told the farmers that the ACC, as the lead institution in the fight against corruption in the country, cannot succeed without the support of every Sierra Leonean, particularly the farmers who play pivotal role in the country ’ s socio - economic development. Partnership and collaboration, according to the Manager, is key and the more reason for the intensification in public education on the general work of the Commission. The Manager urged the farmers to detest corruption and encouraged them to resist, reject and report acts of corruption through the toll - free lines of 077985985 and 077986986 . She assured them of the protection provided by Section 81 of the Anti - Corruption Act 2008 (as amended in 2019) for those making corruption reports to the Commission. She further disclosed to them the reported by members of the public that resulted in a successful recovery. The Kono District Agricultural Officer, Lamin Mbogba, welcomed the Regional Manager of the ACC and expressed profound thanks and appreciation for conveying anti - corruption messages to farmers in the district. He commended the ACC for the good work they have been doing in ridding corruption in every aspect of society in the country. He therefore urged the farmers to continue working hard in supporting the Government ’ s dream of food security in the country. “ The Government is only there to take the lead in development but cannot succeed without the cit- i z e n s ’ support, ” the Agricultural Officer concluded. Farmers at the engagement in Kono

1. 16th — 20 th October 2023 Issue 1 Volume 10 INTEGRITY HOUSE, TOWER HILL FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR - IN - CHIEF Abubakarr Turay EDITORS Sylvanus Blake Alex A. Bah LAYOUT & GRAPHICS Philippa M Davies EDITORIAL ADVISERS Augustine Foday Ngobie Patrick Sandi CONTD PG.4 T he Deputy Commissioner of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) has described the re - engineered Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Handbook as the tool box that will be in the hands of all stakeholders concerned with the implementation of all Social Safety Net (SSN) projects and programs. Au- gustine Foday Ngobie was speaking on Monday, 9th October, 2023, at the official launch of the handbook at the Mankind's Activities for Development Accredited Movement (MADAM) Conference Centre in Makeni, North - Eastern Sierra Leone. Addressing participants drawn from the ACC, National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), National Youth Commission (NYCOM), Ministry of Youth Affairs (MOYA), and the Freetown City Council (FCC), the Deputy Commissioner admonished them to fully digest and scrupulously implement the contents of the Handbook. The participants included the GRM Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and Data Analysts, Chief Administrator of the Freetown City Council and other project staff.. Mr. Ngobie said that since the participants are charged with the roll - out of the GRM in the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) program and all other SSN projects, he encouraged them to continue to manifest dedication to the project. He said that the roll - out of the ACC superintended GRM in SSN projects have been the most successful according to assessments by donors. "This acclaimed milestone, which has contributed to the overall positive impact of SSN projects on many beneficiaries, has made Sierra Leone's GRM a model that would be emulated and replicated in other countries implementing the GRM," Mr. Ngobie stated. He urged all to treat the training with the seriousness it deserves and to ensure uniform, fair, and ACC ’ s Deputy Commissioner, Augustine Foday Ngobie, making his statement Director, Corruption Prevention, ACC, describing the scorecard at the engagement . By: Sylvanus Blake, PRO - ACC unbiased redress of all grievances in the PSSNYE and other related projects. The Senior Director of Social Protection at NaCSA, Idriss Turay, in his statement, encouraged staff present to take the training seriously and apply the knowledge that will be acquired for a successful roll - out of the GRM. He also stated that the PSSNYE is a Grant - funding, and they are therefore often restricted, adding that only approved activities will be implemented. He said that the GRM does not on- ly provide for the reporting of cor- ruption - related issues, but all other grievances, misconceptions,

2. Page 2 T he Public Education Unit of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) office in the Southern Region has, in a customized meeting, en- lightened members of District Health Management Team (DHMT) in Bo on some of the illegal practices that have the tendency to undermine the delivery of quality health care. The engagement took place on Wednesday 11 th October 2023 at the DHMT Conference Hall, Baima Road in Bo. In his statement, ACC ’ s Resident Prosecutor, South, Nigel Davies Esq. spoke on the legal framework which led to the establishment of the ACC over two decades ago. He said that in the Commission ’ s quest to carry out its legitimate responsibility, ACC does not persecute but rather it pursues offenders of the laws. Mr. Davies further said that citizens must not misunder- stand the prosecutorial ap- proach of the Commission as a ploy to blemish the good name of individuals, but should be seen as a legitimate avenue to demand for accountability. Mr. Davies said that the anti - corruption law has gone through legal reforms overtime in order to make corruption unfashionable by increasing the fines and prison term, introducing mandatory restitution for funds misappropriated, offence for academic malpractices and money recovered through out - of - court settlements now attracting an interest of not less than ten percent. He affirmed ACC ’ s commitment to working with public sector institutions to ensuring that Sierra Leoneans interest is prioritized. Speaking at the engagement, ACC ’ s Senior Public Education Officer, Abdulai Saccoh acknowledged the challenges the health sector is confronted with but advised health workers not to be tempted to compromise their integrity. Mr. ACC staff and the DHMT members after the engagement Saccoh asserted that despite the huge resources the health sector continues to attract the desired objectives would be farfetched if the sector is inundated with corrupt practices. He recognized that corruption has dire consequences on access, quality, equity, efficiency and efficacy of health services and it is an obvious obstacle to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 3. Mr. Saccoh further noted that the diversion of public and donor funds for personal use, abuse of discretionary power, over invoicing, short payment of participants at trainings and other workshops and extortion of money for free services within the health sector are not only un- lawful practices but can trigger ACC ’ s investigation. He called on the participants to expose corrupt activities, keep the sector sane, transparent and accountable, stop dishonest practices and ensure public sector employees act in the public interest. The District Medical Officer (DMO) Bo, Dr. Amara Stevens Ngegbai lauded ACC ’ s public education drive and described it as an appropriate intervention to prevent corruption in public sector institutions. Dr. Ngegbai noted that the District Health Management Team is charged with the responsibility to supervise and monitor health facilities as well as to collaborate with partners to promote quality health care service delivery in the District. The DMO called on ACC to replicate similar engagement in the Bo Government Hospital and the In - Charges of the various Peripheral Health Units during their monthly update meetings. He called on his colleagues to heed to ACC messages as it will guide them in their operations. CONTD PG.4