By Septimus Senessie in Kono
Regional manager of the Anti-Corruption Commission in Kono district says “about 85% of government-awarded projects in the district are incomplete,” making it the highest in the entire country, according to their findings.
Rev Bob Kandeh told this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day celebration at the Koidu multi-purpose youth centre themed: “Take no bribe and pay no bribe”, that the evidence of abandoned government projects in the district was visible in both the district and city councils. He said the day was set aside by United Nations on 9 December 2003 to be observed annually across the world.
Rev. Kandeh insisted that “the delay in completion of those abandoned projects is as a result of non-compliance in the award of projects to deserving contractors due to mass quota percentages and kickbacks for the award of projects”.
He alleged that there was so much nepotism being practiced in the country, especially in the award of contracts. He said this had heavily derailed the development of the district, citing the abandoned rehabilitation project of the Government Hospital in Koidu by Breakthrough Design Construction Company, which left the children’s hospital inaccessible for over one year.
He blamed the underdevelopment of the district on “deep-rooted corruption and corrupt practices being practiced by those who are entrusted with tax payers’ money” and assured that the collective efforts of Kono people to report corruption would yield dividend in the fight against graft in the district.
Local Unit Commander of the Tankoro police station, Superintendent Momoh N’gevao said the ACC should rest assured of their support in terms of investigating matters.
Chairman of the ceremony, Rev. Sahr Christian Fayah of the Central Assemblies of God’s Church at Konomanyi Street in Koidu, condemned corruption and described it as a hindrance to national development. He advised pupils present at the ceremony to resist corruption because they were the future of the country.
Meanwhile, representatives of World Vision Sierra Leone, the National Social Security and Insurance Trust, the Koidu City and District Councils and civil society organisations assured of their support to the work of ACC.
(C) Politico 17/12/13
