PRESS RELEASE
ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION INVESTIGATES PROCUREMENT PROCESSES OF THE 100 SLRTC BUSES
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) acknowledges with gratitude Government’s acquisition of 100 buses for the use of the general public. However, the public is hereby informed that prior to the arrival of the buses the ACC had commenced an investigation into the procurement processes.
Though the purchase of the buses ushered in a breath of relief upon the weight of the transportation burden on the people, the procurement processes cannot be said to be beyond censure.
The ACC welcomes the heightened public response and vigilance, consequent upon the “citizen’s audit”, advocated and promoted by the Commission. Officials of State are now subject to public scrutiny for the discharge of their functions.
Without prejudice to the ongoing investigations, our experience reveals that mis-procurement continues to be the bane of corruption. The use of “no objection letters” to waive procurement rules and regulations, under the guise of emergency, is reproachable.
The ACC urges the House of Parliament to pay close heed to the gaps which encourage the circumvention of procurement rules and regulations whilst considering the ongoing amendments of the National Public Procurement Act of 2004.
In a related development, the ACC also wishes to confirm to the general public that the procurement for Sierra Leone passports is also under investigation. Meanwhile, officials of the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Sierra Leone Road Transport Corporation, Ministry of Internal Affairs and The Immigration Department are cooperating and assisting the Commission with the investigations.
The general public is assured that the fight against corruption is key to good governance and the ACC remains unrelenting in that endeavor.
Signed: ————————————-
Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, Esq.
COMMISSIONER
