Reaction from members, supporters and sympathizers of the former government has been one of disapproval over the approval of Francis Ben Kaifala as the country’s new Sheriff in the fight against that age old enemy of economic growth and development whose ravages to the state and people of this country dates back to the days of President Siaka Stevens.
Millions of Sierra Leoneans who know that corruption has been the enemy of development and progress in all its forms, and the harbinger of all the socio-economic and cultural aberrations that have engulfed our country since the 1970s have whole heartedly welcome the appointment of the new ACC boss.
Nonetheless, the question now ask by citizens is whether Ben Kaifala will go after the big fishes, including those corrupt multinational corporations that have turned this country into a lucrative farm for harvesting ill-gained wealth, or rather be like Ady Macaulay that target only small fries.
Consequently, it is of great importance that ACC targets rogue mining companies and big time importers and exporters who employ all kinds of dubious financial tricks including bribing NRA and Trade and Industry ministry officials to evade paying correct taxes to the government as well as community leaders who misappropriate funds, thus depriving the community of meaningful development.
Another area that needs focus is Trade mis-invoicing that causes loss of huge taxable revenue and illicit financial outflows through companies that purposely commit fraud by mis-stating the quantity, quality, and value of goods. The major types of trade-mis-invoicing that the ACC must target are: export and import over and under-invoicing.
Without robust reforms that dismantle the financial, political and administrative structures that perpetuate corruption, Salone will be not break the cycle of cronyism and bad governance that has constrained its tremendous potential for economic, political and social development.
Hence, if the ACC under Ben Kaifala targets the above sources of grand corruption, especially the ex APC government functionaries and set a precedent, it will certainly leaves Bio administration with no headache to raise more than enough funds for development, as well deter present government officials from being corrupt, since tackling corruption and providing good state governance go hand in hand with his desire to make Salone a better place for everyone.
Therefore, they say, they are watching keenly to see how he makes good on his promise to exterminate corruption in government and the public service.
It is known that lax financial transparency requirements allow individuals to appropriate a country’s wealth and generate massive outflows of capital. ‘One Campaign’ estimates that over 70% of major corruption cases in Sub-Saharan Africa involve phantom firms, financial entities that are currently almost impossible to trace or track without improvements in regulatory oversight, resulting in a tax loss of about $52 billion.