By: Patrick Hinga George, Public Education Officer, ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Eastern Regional Office in Kenema has intensified its drive to broaden participation in the national fight against corruption by engaging the Management and staff of Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and its partners, Mankind Activity for Development Accreditation Movement (MADAM) and Movement towards Peace and Development Agency (MoPANDA), on integrity, accountability and corruption prevention.
The engagement, held on Monday, 24th August 2026, at the WHH Office Conference Room on Maada Bio Street, formed part of the Commission’s ongoing customised engagements with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) operating in the Eastern Region.
Addressing participants, ACC Eastern Regional Director, Hawanatu O. Kamara, underscored the important role NGOs play in Sierra Leone’s socio-economic development, stressing that resources entrusted to them must be managed with transparency, accountability and integrity.
She clarified that the ACC’s engagement with NGOs is primarily preventive and collaborative, reflecting the Commission’s emphasis on public education, systems strengthening and strategic partnerships. She further noted that the Commission’s mandate extends beyond Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to organisations and individuals entrusted with donor funds, property and other resources intended for public benefit.
Madam Kamara cautioned that the misappropriation of donor funds or property may constitute an offence under the Anti-Corruption Act 2008, as amended in 2019. She also encouraged stronger collaboration between the ACC and NGOs in taking anti-corruption messages to communities, noting that the extensive community reach of WHH, MADAM and MoPANDA positions them as important partners in promoting integrity and empowering citizens to Reject, Resist and Reportcorruption.
ACC Prevention Officer, Abiebatu Abu-Mattia, emphasised the importance of strong internal controls in safeguarding organisational resources against corruption and abuse.She urged the organisations to maintain robust ethical standards, transparent financial management and procurement systems, effective conflict-of-interest mechanisms, regular internal and external audits, and clear accountability structures. She noted that effective preventive systems not only protect donor resources but also enhance organisational credibility, strengthen donor and beneficiary confidence, and ensure that development interventions achieve their intended impact.
ACC Investigation Officer, Andrew Komeh, highlighted key corruption risks that may arise in the operations of NGOs and development organisations, particularly in procurement, contract management and project implementation.He cautioned against favouritism in supplier and contractor selection, inflated prices and contract values, fictitious beneficiaries, falsification of documents, unjustified sole sourcing, contract splitting, and reporting activities that were not undertaken or implemented as reported.
Responding on behalf of the three organisations, WHH Area Manager for the Southern and Eastern Regions, Santigie Kanu, commended the ACC for its sustained efforts in the fight against corruption, describing the engagement as timely and necessary.
Mr. Kanu noted that approximately 90 percent of the issues raised by the Commission are already reflected in the organisations’ Code of Conduct, but emphasised the value of continued engagement in strengthening staff understanding of corruption offences and preventive measures.
He therefore proposed a more extensive follow-up engagement involving the wider staff body, particularly field staff across the Southern and Eastern Regions, to further deepen awareness and institutionalise anti-corruption practices within their operations.
