By: Abdulai Saccoh, Senior Public Education Officer, ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Southern Regional Office has engaged staff of Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) in Bo City on integrity, accountability, and corruption prevention as part of efforts to strengthen institutional safeguards against corruption.The engagement, held at the institution's conference room on Bukum Street, Fulawahun Section on Friday 19th June, 2026sought to enhance staff understanding of corruption risks and reinforce ethical standards in the discharge of their duties.
Speaking at the meeting, ACC Regional Manager, South, Mohamed Tomboyeke, described the session as a proactive public education initiative aimed at deepening awareness of integrity and accountability measures within public institutions. He stressed that the manipulation or alteration of statistical data is not only unlawful but can lead to the misallocation of public resources and negatively affect national planning and socio-economic development.
Mr. Tomboyeke cautioned staff against engaging in practices that undermine public trust and highlighted key corruption offences under the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008, as amended in 2019. He reminded participants that persons convicted of corruption offences are liable to a fine, imprisonment, or both. He also urged public officials required by law to comply with the asset declaration regime.
In his presentation, ACC Senior Public Education Officer, Abdulai Saccoh, underscored the importance of credible data in national development, noting that inaccurate or manipulated statistics can adversely affect policy formulation, resource allocation, and service delivery.He further highlighted corruption risks that may arise within institutions, including bribery, nepotism, abuse of office, misuse of official vehicles and equipment, over-invoicing, diversion of public assets, and non-compliance with established procedures. He warned that such practices compromise institutional credibility and undermine national development objectives.
Also speaking, ACC Public Education Officer, Mohamed A. Kabba, emphasized that the fight against corruption is a shared responsibility and called on staff to uphold integrity, transparency, and accountability in the performance of their duties.
Responding on behalf of Statistics Sierra Leone, the Regional Administrative and Finance Officer, Martha Kpaka, welcomed the engagement and described it as timely and beneficial. She reaffirmed the institution's commitment to collecting, processing, analyzing, and disseminating accurate and reliable statistical information to support evidence-based decision-making and national development.Ms. Kpaka encouraged staff to adhere to the rules and regulations governing their operations and to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.
The engagement concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants sought clarification on corruption-related issues and the Commission's prevention mandate.
