The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) remains resolute to enhance compliance with ethical ideals and enforce measures in public sector institutions in order to ensure that public resources are protected.
In line with this resolve, the ACC Bo regional office through its Public Education Unit engaged devolved sectors and officials of the Bo City Council (BCC) on corruption-related issues, on Thursday, 20 November, 2025.The meeting, which was convened in the Council’s conference room at the city’s reservation area deliberated on practices of financial and administrative irregularities.
In his statement, ACC Public Education Officer, Mohamed A. Kabba, emphasized that such illegal practices have often and again denied citizens in the municipality access to essential services, thereby exacerbating social inequalities and hindering revenue mobilization. Mr. Kabba noted that this could compromise the operational integrity of the Council and subsequently erode public trust. He added that issues mentioned in the 2024 Audit Report explain how some public sector institutions see corruption as a means to self-gain.
Mr. Kabba stressed that breach in procurement procedures and contract projects, mismanagement of devolved funds, non-remittance of statutory contributions, failure to pay monthly National Security and Social Insurance Trust (NASSIT) contributions for workers and Pay as You Earn (PAYE) weaken internal control measures due to corruption. This situation, he emphasised, limits job opportunities for particularly the youth.
ACC Principal Investigator, Ishmael Kamara, urged participants to desist from such blatant financial and administrative irregularities as they can dampen citizens and make them unwilling to adhere to local tax and rate regulations. He said that misappropriating revenues can further reduce the council’s legitimate revenue base, noting that such act is punishable by law under the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 (as amended in 2019).
Mr. Kamara averred that anti-corruption measures are not set to witch-hunt public institutions, but rather that they are created to mitigate illegal practices, strengthen internal controls systems, and enhance transparency in public bodies.
The Chief Administrator of the Council, Henry Powell, commended the Commission’s consistent strides in the fight against corrupt practices in Sierra Leone, adding that these frantic efforts would continue to launder the image of the country. He added that the Commission’s prevention drive is critical to remind public officials to adhere to anti-corruption measures, reiterating that they as a Council have begun putting into action the appropriate recommendations in the 2024 Auditor General’s Report.
The Public Education Officer, David Garrick, affirmed that the engagement was the Commissions’ conscious effort to strengthen integrity, transparency and accountability, noting that adherence to best practices would add value to the operations of public institutions.
He called on the public officials to make concerted efforts to address the systemic weaknesses identified in the Audit Report, concluding that complying with the Report’s recommendations would be a quality step to unravel the Council’s full potential for massive development within the regional capital.
Questions, concerns and answers form the height of the deliberation.
