Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has hosted a high-level delegation from the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) of South Africa for consultations on Sierra Leone’s Second-Generation Country Review Report, a critical governance assessment aimed at strengthening national systems and supporting development efforts.
The engagement, held at the ACC’s Tower Hill office in Freetown, provided a platform for knowledge-sharing and an in-depth review of the Commission’s operations. During the session, the APRM delegation sought clarification on the ACC’s legal frameworks, institutional independence, operational achievements, and structural arrangements.
Dr. Rachel Mukamunana, the APRM’s Director of Country Reviews, explained that the APRM an African Union governance initiative supports member states in promoting transparency, accountability, and socio-economic development.
She noted that Sierra Leone recently partnered with the APRM to launch its Second-Generation Review Report, which assesses democratic governance, economic management, transparency, and institutional performance.
She emphasized that the meeting with the ACC was a crucial component of the review process, adding that the delegation was directed by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio to identify governance gaps and gather reliable data to inform policy reforms.
During discussions, the APRM team raised questions regarding corruption prevention in the mining sector, the Commission’s conviction rates, technological integration, and the autonomy of the ACC.
ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. welcomed the delegation and highlighted the Commission’s transformation since 2018. He recalled that the ACC was once viewed as a “toothless bulldog,” but legislative reforms particularly the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 and its 2019 Amendment significantly strengthened its mandate, powers, and integrity.
Commissioner Kaifala noted that despite staffing constraints, the ACC continues to prioritize corruption prevention by working with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to identify system weaknesses and close loopholes. He underscored the importance of strong laws, citizen participation, and political will in driving anti-corruption efforts across Africa.
He also outlined ongoing challenges facing the Commission, including limited financing, inadequate vehicles, and the need to fully digitize ACC processes. While progress has been made such as digitalizing the assets declaration system he stressed that additional investment is required for full implementation.
Commissioner Kaifala concluded by calling on the government and development partners to scale up support to the Commission, emphasizing that sustained success in the fight against corruption depends on adequate and consistent resources.
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