My take on the White Paper

By Kortoe Kamara, Special Contributor, USA

While many of our compatriots have been awaiting issuance of the White Paper, following the Commissions of Inquiry, I as a risk management professional, have always wondered why our nation needs to be reactionary in the fight against public sector corruption in Sierra Leone.

I have always, and even more so following the COI and White Paper publication today by the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, opined that our nation needs a very proactive regime in fighting corruption, based solely on a risk management model rather that sole dependence on reactive policing measures, such as employed by the ACC and the police.

A risk management office for all MDAs is what Sierra Leone needs to mitigate corruption and prevent most of these corrupt practices in the public sector. The COIs, Audit Services, Police and ACC are all reactionary instruments.

I believe that what Sierra Leone needs in the fight against corruption at this stage, is establishment of a proactive risk management office in the presidency, with mandate to manage and monitor risk management processes for all MDAS.

This way corrupt practices are easily identified, through data and risk management programs and practices and preventive measures undertaken to forestall the magnitude of corruption that the Commissions of Inquiry have unearthed in the public service of Sierra Leone.