The Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., has challenged public institutions to take full ownership of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) 2024-2029, warning that the ACC alone cannot outsource integrity.
Commissioner Kaifala issued the call during a high-level engagement between the NACS Steering Committee and Focal Persons of Integrity Management Committees (IMCs) drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), held at the ACC Conference Room, Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown, on Wednesday, 16th September, 2026.
Addressing institutional representatives, Commissioner Kaifala clarified that the ongoing NACS monitoring exercise is not designed to stigmatize institutions, but to measure compliance with commitments they voluntarily made under the Strategy.
He explained that institutions are assessed against clear indicators, including the existence of functional Integrity Management Committees, regularity of meetings, and their ability to identify and mitigate corruption risks within their operations.
He underscored the critical role of internal auditors and institutional oversight bodies, urging heads of institutions to treat audit findings with seriousness, especially in high-risk areas such as procurement and financial management.
“Your auditor is your friend. Effective collaboration with auditors can help institutions identify weaknesses and address them before they become more serious accountability issues,” Commissioner Kaifala stressed.
In his statement, Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie, noted that with limited manpower, the Commission cannot be present in every public office. He described IMC Focal Persons as the frontline ambassadors of transparency and accountability.
He called for stronger leadership commitment from heads of MDAs, improved coordination between IMCs and management, and consistent monitoring and evidence-based reporting of implementation activities.
Director of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy Secretariat, Mariama Navo, reinforced that while the Secretariat provides coordination, facilitation, monitoring and technical support, it cannot implement institutional commitments on behalf of MDAs.
She cautioned that IMCs must not exist merely to tick a box for NACS compliance, but must function as active internal mechanisms for identifying corruption vulnerabilities and promoting a culture of integrity.
She urged focal persons to return to their institutions with renewed clarity of roles and stronger commitment to ensure that NACS obligations are implemented and backed by verifiable evidence.
The engagement ended with an open and frank dialogue, where focal persons highlighted practical challenges affecting implementation and proposed actionable measures to strengthen the effectiveness of IMCs across government.
The meeting forms part of sustained efforts by the NACS Steering Committee and the ACC to accelerate implementation of the NACS 2024-2029 and improve institutional performance ahead of subsequent monitoring exercises.