1. ANTI - CORRUPTION COMMISSION CATHEDRAL HOUSE 3 GLOUCESTER STREET FREETOWN SIERRA LEONE, WEST AFRICA 30 TH JANUARY, 2019 PRESS RELEASE SIERRA LEONE MAKES PROGRESS IN TI’S CPI SCORE Transparency International (TI), t he global anti - corruption civil society organization, on 29 th January 2019, released i ts annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI) for the year 2018. Sierra Leone improved from 130 to 129 out of 180 countries surveyed, with a score of 30. The CPI index, which ranked countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, reported that “ m ore than two - thirds of countries surveyed score d below 50 percent on this year’s CPI ” and that “most countries are failing to make serious inroads against corruption.” Nonetheless, Sierra Leone moved from 130 in 2017 to 129 in the 2018 CPI, thereby leading more than 50 countries in the campaign against corruption ; including, Guinea, Nigeria, Kenya, Lebanon and Russia, The report also stated that “the continued failure of most countries to significantly control corruption is contributing to a crisis in democracy around the world. ” For the same period under review , Sierra Leone also passed the M illennium Challenge C orporation’s Control of Corruption Indicator, with 71 percent, movi ng 22 percentage points upwards from last year’s score of 49 percent. In the Afr o Barometer Report, Sierra Leone also made huge progress as only 43 percent of the respondents think corruption is in the increase, as against 70 percent last year; thereby making 27 percentage points upwards in this ranking. In this regard, the Commission continues to assure the general public of its relentless resolve to bring back integrity in the management of the public sector. For further enquiries on this and other ACC issues, please contact Margaret Murray , the Public Relations Officer on +232 - 55 - 248 - 081. ........................ .... ALHASSAN KARGBO DEPUTY DIRECTOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH DEPARTMENT