President Bio receives ACC 2024 Annual Report

President Dr Julius Maada Bio has formally received the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) 2024 Annual Report, praising the Commission’s leadership and staff for their ongoing efforts to improve integrity and accountability in Sierra Leone. The handover, which took place at State House, emphasised the government’s ongoing support for anticorruption institutions and acknowledged the ACC’s growing role in improving governance standards.
Deputy Commissioner Augustine Foday Ngobie presented the report to the President, noting that this is the seventh consecutive year that the ACC has met the statutory requirement to provide an annual account of its activities. He cited Section 19(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2002, as amended, which requires the Commission to submit an annual report to the Head of State. In outlining the contents of the 2024 Annual Report, Deputy Commissioner Ngobie highlighted significant achievements over the last year, including progress in investigations and prosecutions, the strengthening of strategic partnerships, and a series of institutional reforms designed to improve the C
mission’s efficacy and resilience.
“We are here again, as required by law, to present our annual report — demonstrating the progress and resilience of the ACC over the years,” said Ngobie, the Deputy Commissioner. He emphasised that the Commission’s recent gains have been driven by collaborative engagement with local and international partners, allowing for more robust casework and outreach efforts.
Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala, Esq., who accompanied the presentation, reiterated the ACC’s unwavering commitment to promoting integrity, transparency, and accountability in public institutions. Speaking directly to the President, Commissioner Kaifala emphasised the Commission’s determination to avoid a return to past eras in which corruption defined the country’s international reputation. “Your Excellency, on behalf of the entire ACC, I can assure you that Sierra Leone will never return to the days when corruption defined us globally. As we mark 25 years since the Commission’s inception, this report highlights our progress and collective determination to make corruption a high-risk, unrewarding venture,” he declared before formally handing over the report.
President Bio congratulated the ACC team on their diligence and professionalism, citing the fight against corruption as one of Sierra Leone’s most notable governance successes in recent years. “I’d like to thank the ACC Commissioner and his staff for their outstanding work. You have made corruption in Sierra Leone not only unfashionable, but also dangerous. “This is why Sierra Leone continues to receive global recognition for our progress in governance,” the President said, reaffirming the government’s political commitment to anticorruption efforts.
President Bio assured the Commission that his administration would continue to lead and support it, acknowledging the ACC’s challenges while praising its resolve. The presentation of the 2024 Annual Report was a significant milestone as the ACC celebrates its 25th anniversary, and it reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s position as one of the most improved nations in global anti-corruption rankings.