By: Patrick Hinga George, Public Education Officer, ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), regional office in Kenema and GOAL Sierra Leone have strengthened collaboration in promoting integrity, accountability and corruption prevention, underscoring the importance of safeguarding development resources and broadening participation in the national fight against corruption.
This commitment was reinforced during an engagement with the Management and staff of GOAL Sierra Leone on Wednesday, 26th August 2026, at the organisation’s Conference Room, Cow-yard, along the Bo-Kenema Highway in Kenema. The engagement forms part of the Commission’s ongoing customised engagements with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in the Eastern Region, aimed at strengthening institutional integrity and using their community presence to advance anti-corruption messages.
Addressing participants, ACC Regional Director, Hawanatu O. Kamara, described development organisations as important partners in Sierra Leone’s development and critical stakeholders in promoting transparency, accountability and integrity.
She explained that the Commission’s engagement with development organisations is preventive and collaborative, rather than investigative, and one that seeks to strengthen understanding of corruption risks, encourage sound institutional systems and broaden participation in combating corruption.
Mrs Kamara noted that while the ACC is often perceived as primarily concerned with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), its mandate extends to protecting donor resources entrusted to organisations and individuals for development purposes. She made reference to Section 37(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008, as amended in 2019, which criminalises the misappropriation of donor funds or property.
The Regional Director emphasised the value of collaborating with GOAL Sierra Leone because of its interaction with communities through development interventions. She encouraged the organisation to complement the Commission’s public education efforts by incorporating anti-corruption messages into its community engagements.
She underscored the Commission’s Reject, Resist and Report approach, encouraging development organisations to empower citizens to reject corrupt practices, resist attempts to involve them in corruption and report suspected corruption to the Commission.
Speaking on corruption prevention and institutional safeguards, ACC Prevention Officer, Abiebatu Abu-Mattia, emphasised that strong internal control systems are fundamental to safeguarding donor resources and protecting organisations from corruption, fraud and other abuses.
She encouraged GOAL Sierra Leone to continually strengthen its anti-corruption and ethical frameworks, financial management and procurement systems, conflict of interest mechanisms, audit processes and accountability structures.
Mrs. Abu-Mattia stressed that effective corruption prevention goes beyond compliance with rules to cultivating an organisational culture where integrity guides decisions and actions. She noted that robust preventive systems enhance institutional credibility, strengthen donor and beneficiary confidence and help ensure development resources achieve their intended impact.
ACC Investigation Officer, Andrew Komeh, took participants through corruption offences and potential risk areas associated with the operations of development organisations.
Focusing on procurement, contract management and project implementation, Mr. Komeh cautioned against favouritism in selecting suppliers and contractors, inflation of prices and contract values, unjustified sole sourcing, contract splitting, falsification of documents, fictitious beneficiaries and reporting activities that were not undertaken or implemented differently from what was reported.
He further highlighted offences under the Anti-Corruption Act 2008, as amended in 2019, including misappropriation of donor funds or property, abuse of office or position, soliciting or accepting an advantage, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence and failure to comply with applicable procurement procedures.
Mr. Komeh reminded participants that corruption has consequences beyond criminal sanctions, noting that it can damage organisational reputation, erode donor and beneficiary confidence, threaten future funding opportunities and deprive communities of the full benefits of development interventions.
Responding on behalf of GOAL Sierra Leone, MEAL Coordinator, Michael Brasay, expressed appreciation to the Commission and welcomed stronger collaboration between GOAL Sierra Leone and the ACC in promoting accountability and integrity.
Mr. Brasay underscored the relevance of the issues discussed and the importance of ensuring that staff remain conscious of their responsibilities in safeguarding resources entrusted to them.
He welcomed the Commission’s approach of working with development organisations as partners in the national fight against corruption and reaffirmed GOAL Sierra Leone’s commitment to accountability, transparency and responsible management of resources in implementing its programmes.
The engagement concluded with both institutions reaffirming their commitment to strengthening collaboration, promoting institutional integrity and extending anti-corruption consciousness to communities benefiting from development interventions.
