By Politico Staff Writer
Deputy Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission Sierra Leone (ACC) Augustine Foday Ngobie says stakeholders have critical roles to play in the implementation of the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) scheme which is worth forty million US Dollars and warned against undermining it.
Ngobie made this call on the 21st of August 2023 during a retreat held in Kenema. He entreated them to consistently commit themselves to the successful implementation of the project and avoid all conducts that will undermine it.
“Those of us present here have a huge task in our hands for our Nation. We must deliver and do so patriotically, devoid of our political persuasions and other sentiments. Failing is not a route”, he said.
He stated that the ACC will leave no stone unturned in holding anyone accountable, whose acts would constitute corruption in the course of implementation of the project.
Ngobie spoke about the essence of having a successful project implementation, highlighting the significance of the just concluded phase of the project which is the Social Safety Net (SSN) and the Emergency Cash Transfer project, which according to him provided unconditional cash transfer to thousands of people from vulnerable households and businesses badly affected by the CoVID-19 pandemic.
He said that the project’s thematic framework resonates with the government's Manifesto Big-Five Game Changers, which according to Ngobie seeks to enhance the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable households and address youth employment issues.
He also noted that the project will address the challenges faced in society, citing the increase in drug abuse.
He said: "The recent spate of drug (kush) abuse, coupled with the seeming lack of requisite middle-level skills among many young persons, has compounded the problem of our youth. If we fail to help them, then we would have failed to help our nation and ourselves".
The retreat which commenced on the 21st and will end on the 25th of August 2023 brought together technical staff from ACC, the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the National Youth Commission, and Freetown City Council. They discussed and reviewed the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) Manual before the roll-out of the PSSNYE. The Project is funded by the World Bank and the Government of Sierra Leone.
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