By: Alex A. Bah, Public Relations Officer, ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is pushing towards full compliance in the ongoing 2026 Biennial Asset Declaration Exercise, with 13,036 of 16,144 targeted public officers having declared their assets as of 18th August 2026.
The disclosure was made by the ACC Coordinator of Operations, Patrick Sandi, during the Government’s Weekly Press Conference on Tuesday, 18th August 2026, at the Miatta Civic Centre in Freetown.
The current figure represents 80.7% compliance, with the exercise targeting public officers across 224 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Mr. Sandi said the Commission has intensified training across the country, with staff from its Regional Offices in Port Loko, Makeni, Bo, Kenema and Kono trained to replicate the exercise in their respective regions, alongside training conducted for MDAs in Freetown.
He said the 2026 exercise builds on significant gains recorded during the 2024 cycle, when compliance rose from 91.3% at the end of 2024 to 96.5% by June 2025 following administrative sanctions against defaulters. Compliance subsequently reached 99.54% by December 2025 and 99.61% in the first quarter of 2026, with 179 MDAs attaining 100% compliance. The Commission also issued letters of commendation to the first 52 MDAs to achieve full compliance.
Mr. Sandi explained that although the number of MDAs covered has increased from 182 to 224, the number of targeted officers has fallen from 17,253 to 16,144, largely because substantial numbers of low-ranking security personnel without fiduciary responsibilities, particularly in the Army and Police, were excluded following consultations with the two institutions.
With the 21st August deadline approaching, Mr. Sandi warned that defaulters will be issued notices in accordance with Section 122A of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008, as amended in 2019, and given 14 days to comply. Failure to do so may attract administrative sanctions, including withholding of salary, suspension and dismissal after three months, subject to applicable constitutional provisions. He added that the Commission’s approach to sanctions in the 2026 exercise could differ from that adopted during the previous cycle.
On other Commission activities, Mr. Sandi disclosed that the ACC has indicted Francis Laval, a volunteer attached to the National Medical Supplies Agency (NMSA), for alleged misappropriation of public property involving a US$38,000 portable ultrasound machine belonging to the Ministry of Health and intended for public health facilities in Bo District. He also highlighted Sierra Leone’s improved performance on the 2024 V-Dem Political Corruption Index, where the country ranked 15th among 53 African countries, while noting that the NACS Steering Committee had endorsed five strategic actions to strengthen implementation of the NACS 2024–2028 following monitoring of 95 public institutions.
The Commission’s latest update comes as it moves into the final days of the 2026 asset declaration exercise, with thousands of public officers still required to fulfil the statutory obligation before the deadline.
