NMA Partners with ACC
The National Minerals Agency (NMA), in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), has concluded an intensive one-day ethics and integrity training for newly recruited field personnel, issuing a stern warning against fraud and compromised practices in Sierra Leone’s mining sector.
The session, held on Wednesday, September 23, at the NMA headquarters in New England Ville, Freetown, brought together newly appointed Assistant Mining Engineers, Geologists, and Mines Compliance Officers. The initiative forms part of a nationwide rollout, following similar workshops previously conducted in regional hubs including Makeni, Bo, Kono, and Kenema.
Addressing participants under the theme: “Upholding Ethics and Integrity in the Workplace,” NMA Director General Ing. Hadji Dabo delivered a blunt assessment of ongoing integrity challenges facing the agency, acknowledging reports of internal involvement in illegal schemes.
“We are having a lot of issues with fraud in the sector, and we understand some of our own staff are involved in these nefarious activities,” Ing Dabo disclosed.
He warned that any employee caught engaging in corrupt practices faces immediate dismissal and prosecution. “If anybody is caught in fraudulent activity, we are going to hand you over to the police, and maybe Anti-Corruption will be involved too. That would be the end of your service to the Agency.”
Ing Dabo urged them to adopt a culture of internal accountability and act as watchdogs by reporting misconduct that threatens the agency’s credibility.
The workshop focused on educating officers on statutory compliance, corruption prevention strategies, and the legal framework governing the mining sector, specifically highlighting provisions under the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 (as amended in 2019).
Mrs Victoria Fumikeh Nicol, Library and Research Manager and Focal Person for the NMA Integrity Management Committee, cautioned officers that field operations expose them to third parties seeking to influence regulatory decisions. She emphasized that the NMA maintains zero tolerance for compromised standards.
Reiterating the Agency’s core principles, Compliance and Audit Manager, Mrs Daphne C. A. Winnebah urged staff to make integrity their daily operational benchmark.
“Integrity is all about knowing what to do when nobody is watching,” Winnebah said, emphasizing that NMA staff manage vital public resources, revenue, and regulatory decisions. “Let us make integrity not just a subject for discussion. Let integrity be part of us.”
Adding to the call for personal accountability, NMA Human Resources Manager Bintu B. Abu reminded officers to safeguard their careers in a competitive job market.
“It is possible for Sierra Leone to be corruption-free—it is a matter of mindset,” Mrs Abu noted, clarifying that the annual collaboration with the ACC aims to educate rather than intimidate personnel. “Don’t allow a one-day issue to destroy your future.”
Representing the ACC, Mr Samuel Marah, Deputy Director of the Prevention Department, praised the NMA’s proactive stance, noting that structural controls must be backed by individual moral responsibility.
“The Commissioner is very keen on prevention, and one key strategy of prevention is ethics and integrity,” Marah stated. He reaffirmed the ACC’s commitment to partnering with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to eliminate corruption risks across key economic sectors.
The session concluded with practical exercises on navigating workplace ethical dilemmas, identifying corruption vulnerabilities, and implementing institutional anti-corruption safeguards.
