By: Abdulai Saccoh, Senior Public Education Officer
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has engaged chiefdom authorities in Bo District on the importance of transparency and accountability in the utilisation and management of the Diamond Area Community Development Fund (DACDF). The engagements, held on the 2nd and 3rd June 2025, took place at the various Native Administrative Court Barrays in Tikonko, Lugbu, Bagbo, Baoma, and Jaima chiefdoms of the district.
Senior Public Education Officer, ACC, Abdulai Saccoh, emphasized the importance of these engagements, noting that the system review being conducted by the Commission on the DACDF aims not only to promote integrity systems at the local community level, but also to ensure that residents benefit meaningfully from their natural resources. He highlighted the Commission’s unwavering stance against the misuse of public and donor resources and reiterated that the fight against corruption is crucial to alleviating the suffering of citizens.
“Many communities are rich in natural resources, yet their inhabitants remain in abject poverty due to corruption,” Mr. Saccoh noted. He described the cost of corruption as immense, depriving the state of legitimate resources that could have improved the socio-economic wellbeing of the people. He cautioned that any public or donor funds entrusted to individuals must be used judiciously or risk legal consequences. He encouraged the chiefdom functionaries to embrace the forthcoming reforms being championed by the ACC to promote greater accountability.
Also speaking at the engagement, Prevention Officer, ACC, Yeama Ben Kamara, said that the Commission employs a variety of strategies in the fight against corruption, with prevention being a key pillar. She described systems review as a process designed to examine the procedures and operations of public institutions to identify corruption vulnerabilities and recommend improvements for better service delivery.
Ms. Kamara stressed that the exercise is not intended to witch-hunt anyone but to enhance the value and efficiency of their work, and to ensure proper management of development funds. She assured the chiefdom authorities of the Commission’s commitment to equipping them with the necessary skills to build transparent and accountable systems. She urged participants to implement the recommendations from the review to prevent the misuse of limited public resources.
The Paramount Chief of Tikonko Chiefdom, Hon. P.C. J.K. Macovoray, expressed his full support for the process and pledged to adhere to the recommendations, which he acknowledged would help in managing the funds more effectively. He expressed gratitude to the ACC for the engagement, describing it as an eye-opening session. Chief Macovoray commended the Commission’s efforts to combat corruption and ensure state resources benefit all citizens rather than a privileged few.
