STANDARD TIMES PRESS SIERRA LEONE “Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission Should Not Feed the Cat” PAGE

Anti-Corruption Commission was formed by the SLPP after donors such as DFID, World Bank etc started asking for stricter standards against corruption. Anti-Corruption Commission vision and mission are to prevent and control corruption, enhance the rule of law in order to create an environment for good governance and reform in Sierra Leone.

Anti-Corruption Commission should employ qualified team that is capable of detecting true expense of fraud and abuse operating in NRA, NPA, NASSIT and GUMA because such fraud and abuse are committed by experts or big cats who are qualified in incorporating fraud and abuse in their profit and loss figure.

For example, suppose the cost of buying an old ferry by NASSIT is 4 million Euros but unknown to Anti-Corruption Commission, its NASSIT director and other APC top guns accepted 1.2 million Euros in kickbacks to steer business to that firm. That means the true cost has been overstated. The result, of course is that 1.2 million Euros has been embezzled from the public purse.

At the moment, Anti-Corruption Commission, is been dominated by lawyers and individuals with little knowledge of fraud examination. These individuals lack the skills and are not willing to employ individuals with the necessary skills used in detecting, preventing and investigating top fraud like the example above.

These lawyers are specialised in cases where the defendants used threats or force, identity is known, whilst fraud committed by senior officials or cats working in NASSIT, NRA, NPA does not forget to erase all clues.

Corruption cases are more complex in terms of time and political pressures. In order to tackle such top level fraud it will require standards and techniques about fraud auditing. Anti-Corruption Commission needs to employ staffs who have undergone training in fraud auditing. Organisation such as Association of Certified Fraud Examiners that awards certificates to those who qualify its examination, Association of Chartered Certified Accountant, the Institution of Internal Auditors has devoted a regular feature to fraud auditing and reporting.

Auditors such as ACCA members may come across situations, during their examinations, which smack of corruption. Since an investigation requires different standard and skills, the auditors cannot get into business of investigating a suspected case of corruption.

Corruption auditing is a specialised field and requires the skills of a Fraud Examiner a specialist who has undergone courses in Criminology and Ethics, Financial transactions, Legal element of fraud and Fraud investigation.

Fraud examiners may conduct investigation initiated on a complaint from concerned citizen, employee or internal auditors.

In order to fight corruption in most government department Anti-Corruption Commission should concentrate on 4 major areas. They are

(a)Procurement

(b)Good governance and Ethics

(c)Human resource management

(d)Public performance reporting

(A)Procurement: Anti-Corruption Commission lacks the required skills in ensuring transparency in government and public sector operations. Anti-Corruption Commission should employ specialist that will ensure that government department completes transparency in its dealing with employees, directors, contractors and other third parties. They should ensure transparent procedure for contractors’ registration, open competitive bidding, evaluation of bids, announcement of contract award, inspection of goods and services, payment to contractors is cross checked and independent complaint handling mechanism.

(B)Good Governance and Ethics: Anti-Corruption Commission should employ qualified staff that will ensure that government and public sector follow principles of good governance in conducting its activities. Good governance will focus on performance to achieve objectives and conformity with law and regulations. They should manage conflict of interest, report all procurement decisions publicly, ensuring financial management decisions, manage risk and keep proper records.

Anti-Corruption Commission should set up an ethics section or office that should undertake a widely disseminated programme of raising awareness about ethical issues and informing the public about consequences of unethical behaviour and conduct.

(C)Human Resource Management: One of the fertile grounds for corruption in Sierra Leone is the human resource management function. Desperate individuals or connected individuals would bribe or shoot themselves into a job or appointment at places of choice or posting.

The human resource section should monitor recruitment procedures in different government department with a view to identifying any weaknesses or gaps from an ethical point of view and suggest changes in them.

The salaries of the employees in the public sector should be comparable to the salaries in the private sector.

(D)Public Performance Reporting: In addition to employing lawyers and fraud experts, Anti-Corruption Commission should employ Communication Specialist and Education Officers that will ensure that government department and agencies are reporting their performance to the public periodically, through print media as well as on internet.

This is essential to remove the veil of secrecy from the government business, allowing people to hold public servants accountable for their management of public resources.

The report should focus on fat cats in our society who are constructing houses worth over Le 300 million from our public purse not fraudsters that are stealing Le 20 million. These petty thefts or fraud should be prosecuted by Criminal Investigation Department.

Anti-Corruption Commission is busy compiling Asset declaration, but I wonder if they have a system to verify those assets and investment. The assets of these politicians should be disclosed in the media as well as on official websites with invitation for people to scrutinize them and contest them. Such whistle blower should be given protection from retribution. However, there should be effective controls on false alarms or cooked up reporting.

Anti-Corruption Commission should set up multiple channels for reporting violations of ethical code of conduct such as email addresses, Hotlines should be set up and linked to ombudsman.

sogiethomas@yahoo.com

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