The Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Mr. Francis Ben Kaifala, has called for reformed policies to make corruption a high-risk, low-return venture.
Mr Kaifala made the call in his keynote address at an event to mark the first anniversary of Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu as the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
According to him, corruption has had a devastating impact on sub-Saharan Africa, noting that it has plunged many into extreme poverty, stressing the urgent need for multi-pronged approaches to combat corruption effectively, including public education, prevention, and enforcement.
Mr. Kaifala also discussed the challenges of asset recovery in the continent, citing a World Bank report.
He identified the lack of political will, bilateral and economic considerations, and legal impediments as major obstacles to successful asset recovery.
“Recovering stolen funds and assets ensures accountability and returns resources to the state and its people. This process must be robust, persistent, and guided by the law and international best practices,” he said.
The ICPC chairman Dr. Aliyu had earlier listed significant financial recoveries under him to include: cash recoveries totaling ₦29.7 billion, which are domiciled in ICPC recovery accounts, ₦10.986 billion recovered as Value Added Tax (VAT) and remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), ₦10 billion from the COVID-19 vaccine fund remitted to the treasury and forfeited assets valued at ₦2.5 billion and $966,900.83 in foreign currency.
Additionally, the ommission tracked approximately 1,500 projects valued at ₦610 billion nationwide under Phase 7 of its Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI), which concluded last week.
