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The PPM Secretariat has conducted regional level training of the institutional members of PPM and other civil society organizations (CSOs) on the national and international anti-corruption instruments and the role of CSOs in the fight against corruption in Sierra Leone. The trainings were conducted between October 24^th and November 5^th 2019 and targeted over 130 PPM and other CSO members across the Port Loko, Bo, Kenema, Bombali and Western Area Rural districts of Sierra Leone. The trainings were co-facilitated by Alhassan Kargbo, the Deputy Director of Public Education and Outreach Department of the ACC.

The training components captured the Regional, Continental,  Global and local actions in tackling corruption such as the Economic Community Of West African States Protocol on The Fight Against Corruption (Dec 2001), The African Union Convention on  Preventing And  Combating Of Corruption (2003), The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (2002) and the Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Act (No.16) of 2008. The structure, operations and powers of the ACC were thoroughly discussed. It was clear that the ACC was established by the government of Sierra Leone with the promulgation of the Anti-Corruption Act 2000 which gave the ACC its legal existence to investigate alleged instances of corruption and to prevent corrupt practices. However the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 repealed and replaced the Anti-Corruption Act 2000 with the aim of strengthening the ACC to effectively execute its functions and mandates. The novelty in the 2008 Act is that it gives the Commission the prosecutorial powers, powers for asset declaration of Public officials and also increases the offences of corruption from 9 to 27.   

The trainings reechoed the voices of the CSOs on the Sierra Leone they would love to see. For instance, Mrs. Yakoya Kamara a CSO of Port Loko lamented that “I want to see a Sierra Leone where the ACC is independent and that even the Commissioner is not appointed by the President”.

Mr. Fallah A. Bockarie, the Executive Director of Foundation for Development, Democracy and Human Rights and member of PPM Kenema quoted Mary Robinson that “ if you don’t know your rights, you can’t claim it”, therefore the training was an eye opener to PPM and other CSOs to be best placed to advocate on issues of corruption.

“The initiatives on People Power Approaches to fighting corruption should reach every district and every chiefdom in Sierra Leone, this will change the narratives in corruption and corrupt practices in our country” says Osman Conteh, the Chairman of the Bike Riders Association Bombali and member of PPM.

 “I will make sure that the knowledge I have acquired here reaches members of my staff and other coalitions that I belong” says Mrs. Rassie Bah, the Executive Director of Centre for Advocacy and Sustainable Development – Sierra Leone and Executive Member of PPM Bo District Chapter.