By Gibrilla Kargbo, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
In a bid to effectively promote democratic good governance through the fight against corruption, the National Commission for Democracy (NCD) has paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner of the nation’s anti-graft agency, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) at their 3 Gloucester Street office in Freetown on Tuesday, February 25, 2014. During a confab held in the Conference Room, the need for a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two Commissions formed part of the deliberations.
In his presentation of the purpose for the visit, the Chairman, NCD, Dr. Abubakar H. Kargbo (photo), thanked the ACC Commissioner for the opportunity to visit and discuss possible areas of collaboration with NCD. Furthermore, he spoke about the need to complement the effort of the ACC in the fight against corruption and thus the need for an MOU with the ACC especially in the area of sensitizing the public on issues bordering on the nexus between the fight against corruption and the promotion of democratic good governance.
Additionally, he encouraged the ACC boss that he should not be daunted in the fight against corruption as there are many people ready to join the bandwagon including the NCD. He noted that despite the many challenges faced by the ACC, the fight against corruption can be won and he did not mince his words when he stated that NCD is more than willing to work with the ACC as the fight against corruption is a key ingredient in the promotion of democratic good governance.
In his response as host, the ACC Commissioner, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, welcomed the visiting team from NCD. He noted categorically that without the fight against corruption, the promotion of democratic good governance will never be complete. He then expressed sincere appreciation for the work of NCD, noting that the fight against corruption is the people’s fight and therefore, a national fight with the need for all state interlocutors to come on board to overcome all the challenges that are inherent in the fight against corruption.
He was of the view that there is now heightened public sentiment to support the fight against corruption in the country despite the fact that some sectors of society still extol corruption and would rather it were discussed from the perspective of foreign nations including the oligarchs and bourgeois class.
In acknowledging the many challenges faced in the fight against corruption, the ACC boss noted that his drive to do what is right has kept him going in the fight against corruption with the ideal of even becoming a martyr if need be. He then called for the provision of the pillar of integrity support from other state interlocutors in the fight against corruption and described the synergies gained from such collaborative support as the golden thread that should bind us together with each institution covering the backs of the others in the fight against corruption. Furthermore, he noted the importance of voice accountability and in talking about impunity, he noted that there is nothing worse than injustice and thus the need to deal with impunity.
In concluding, he thanked the NCD for the good work and underscored the need for a memorandum of understanding with NCD even as new strategies are being focused upon especially in the area of public awareness in the fight against corruption and the promotion of democratic good governance with donor partners in readiness to support such collaborative endeavors.
Two activities at the meeting formed the high point of the visit to ACC by the NCD delegation to include the submission of a jingle on the fight against corruption done by NCD and the appointment of a two man team to work on the memorandum of understanding between the two institutions.
The appointed two man team constituted Mr. Reginald Fynn, the Director of Prosecutions at the ACC and Mr. Bai John Conteh, NCD Commissioner Northern region. They are tasked with the responsibility of working in concert to produce an MOU that will commence the execution of joint projects between the ACC and NCD.
In her vote of thanks, Mrs. Georgette L. O. De’ Marke, NCD Commissioner Western Region, indicated the readiness of NCD to work with ACC in all future endeavors and prayers were offered for both the ACC and NCD by Rev. Gibrilla Kargbo, NCD Communications and Public Relations Manager.
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