The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Sierra Leone have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) geared towards mutual cooperation, learning and engagement.
The MOU was signed on behalf of the LACC by Acting Executive Chairman Kanio Bai Gbala and ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala on Friday, April 30 in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The MOU which details specific areas of cooperation include provisions for regional cooperation around knowledge-sharing, technical expertise and capacity building.
Speaking to the Sierra Leonean press during the signing ceremony, Cllr. Gbala intimated that Sierra Leone has made dramatic strides in their quest for greater integrity in public life and therefore was worthy of study and emulation in the fight against corruption.
He cited the yearly improvements in Sierra Leone’s scores on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and the MCC Scorecard as evidence that Sierra Leone was proceeding diligently in the fight against corruption.
“Our study week here gave us the opportunity to see firsthand the ingredients that have produced those amazing results and to commence a thinking process about how some of those ingredients can be adapted back home in Liberia”.
“As we head back home, we leave with a firm sense of the positive effects courageous and upright public leadership can have on the fight against corruption,” he stressed.
For his part, Commissioner Kaifala thanked the LACC for the learning visit to Sierra Leone and emphasized that these sort of exchanges are necessary given the sisterly relationship that exists between Sierra Leone and Liberia citing the existence of the Mano River Union (MRU) as a case in point.
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“Most of our languages are the same, our behaviors are similar and our traditions are also similar. This means that a lot can be learned in terms of a governance standpoint on how to solve common problems by looking south sometimes instead of west all the time” Commissioner Kaifala noted.
Cllr. Gbala, who is a development activist and transitional justice expert, described his visit to Sierra Leone as continuation continue of the process of Rebranding and rebuilding the LACC.
During this mission to Freetown, Cllr. Gbala was also honored to have held meetings with the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards, the Minister of Justice Hon. Anthony Yeihwoe Brewah as well as the Auditor General Mrs. Lara Taylor-Pearce Justice.
The LACC delegation to Sierra Leone consisted of the LACC heads of prosecution Cllr. Jerry D. Garlawulo and Investigations Mr. Baba Borkai.
