Deputy ACC urges newly crowned paramount chiefs to lead with integrity, humility, and vigilance

Augustine Foday Ngobie, Deputy Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission Sierra Leone (ACC-SL), has urged newly crowned Paramount Chiefs to be vigilant, fair, and humble as they take over leadership of their chiefdoms, calling on them to be beacons of integrity, hope, and patriotism. On Wednesday, November 13, 2025, Mr Ngobie delivered the appeal at an induction training organised by the Ministry of Local Government on the ninth floor of the Youyi Building in Freetown.

Mr Ngobie, speaking on behalf of the ACC Commissioner, congratulated the traditional leaders on their elevation and reminded them that becoming a Paramount Chief is more than just a badge of honour; it is a solemn call to national service. He emphasised that the chieftaincy institution remains central to Sierra Leone’s cultural, judicial, political, and administrative life, and that chiefs represent their communities’ hopes and aspirations.

“Throughout our cultural and administrative history, the institution of chieftaincy has played increasingly important traditional, judicial, political, cultural, and administrative roles. “You are an embodiment of our people’s hopes and aspirations,” Mr Ngobie said, warning that chiefs’ actions, words, and even inactions carry significant weight, particularly among the youth who look to them as role models.

The Deputy Commissioner framed chiefs as essential partners in the national effort to confront corruption, urging them to see themselves as “front-line generals” in a struggle he described as critical to the nation’s survival.

Mr Ngobie outlined the negative effects of corrupt practices on communities, including the diversion of essential services, reduced opportunities for young people, erosion of public trust in elected officials, and a degradation of the masses’ dignity. He urged the chiefs to join the national fight against corruption and be proactive in exposing wrongdoing. “Today, we are at war against corruption, we have no other choice but to fight and to do so for our collective destinies and ultimate survival,” according to him. “Those who steal from the Sierra Leonean people are against us. We can’t just fold our arms and watch.”

Recognising that the ACC cannot win the anti-corruption battle alone, Mr Ngobie advocated for a united leadership based on integrity and accountability across traditional and local governance structures. He called for a shared vision that will lead to a just and prosperous Sierra Leone, and he specifically encouraged chiefs to become whistleblowers and anti-corruption advocates in their chiefdoms. He also emphasised the importance of transparency in community resource management and fair decision-making on public-interest issues.

Mr Ngobie reminded the new Paramount Chiefs that their positions entail legal responsibilities. “Let me hasten to respectfully remind you all that being a Paramount Chief in Sierra Leone also means that you are a public officer, and there are laws that govern the conduct of public officers in the discharge of their functions,” he said, citing provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act (ACA) No. 12 of 2008. He specifically cited Sections 42 and 43, which prohibit public officers from abusing their offices and positions; Section 47, which prohibits soliciting, receiving, or accepting gifts for corrupt purposes; and Section 51(4), which mandates that any gift valued at Le500 (five hundred Leone)
Sought to emphasise that chiefs’ customary authority does not elevate them above the law, and that some specific statutory expectations and penalties come with public office.
He reaffirmed the ACC’s commitment to collaborating with traditional leaders to strengthen governance and support efforts to prevent and combat corruption at the local level. According to the organisers, the workshops aim to provide traditional leaders with the knowledge and tools they need to manage community resources transparently, adjudicate disputes fairly, and set a good example by promoting ethical behaviour throughout their chiefdom.
Mr Ngobie’s address emphasised Sierra Leone’s Paramount Chiefs’ dual role as custodians of tradition as well as public officers and key actors in local and national governance. He urged the new chiefs to approach their responsibilities with courage, transparency, humility, and a firm commitment to the public good.