Senior Public Education Officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Southern Region, at a sensitization campaign organized at Craftshare compound on the Pay No Bribe campaign encouraged students, instructors, and administrators to join the fight against corruption.
Alimamy Lahai Kamara told technical and vocational students at the Craftshare Institute that, social and economic development in the South is in the hands of masons, carpenters, hairdressers, auto-mechanics, metal workers, tailors and plumbers constituting the private sector.
“Across the South and in the township of Bo there are buildings sprouting–offices, schools, houses, hotels, guest houses, and entertainment centres – and those involved in the architecture are you in this non-formal sector,” Alimamy Kamara underscored.
He said, to keep the private sector booming, and to foster social development, the students are to make a commitment to combating bribery and petty corruption. He furthered, the fight against corruption has a corresponding impact on economic and social development. “If we stop paying bribes for enrolment, grades, promotions, and certificates; and on accessing electricity, water, health services, and education; and rejecting and reporting bribery, we are sure of sustaining sector growth. He said the ACC stands ready to work with Craftshare in eliminating malpractices in the educational sector, and in monitoring and safeguarding Government and donor-funded programmes.
Craftshare was established to train underprivileged youths and now has over 600 students in courses including; tailoring, home management, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrical installation, auto-mechanic, hairdressing, and metal work.
According to Joseph Hazeley, Public Education Officer, the PNB is an innovative reporting platform, which empowers citizens to anonymously report incidents of bribery and petty corruption. Citizens can call 515 free on all networks. The PNB website; www.pnb.gov.sl, or on the mobile application in Krio, Temne and Mende to make their complaints.
The Pay No Bribe (PNB) programme is funded with 4.7 million British pounds from the UK Government.
He stressed, the PNB is not prosecution focused or a system for investigating. It is a data-capturing tool that shows trends of bribery and corruption in MDAs.
The PNB is piloted in five sectors such as SLP, GUMA Valley SALWACO, EDSA, Education and Health; and in districts of Western Area Urban and Rural, Bombali, Bo, and Kenema, he added.
Monday May 29, 2017.