{"id":3312,"date":"2026-09-29T20:29:32","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T20:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/daybreaknewspapersl.com\/?p=3312"},"modified":"2026-09-29T20:29:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T20:29:38","slug":"strengthening-integrity-and-compliance-in-the-mining-sector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/daybreaknewspapersl.com\/?p=3312","title":{"rendered":"Strengthening Integrity and Compliance in the Mining Sector\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NMA Partners with ACC\u00a0<\/strong> <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019s mining sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bThe 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bAddressing participants under the theme: \u201cUpholding Ethics and Integrity in the Workplace,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b\u201cWe 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,\u201d Ing Dabo disclosed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bHe warned that any employee caught engaging in corrupt practices faces immediate dismissal and prosecution. \u201cIf 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ing Dabo urged them to adopt a culture of internal accountability and act as watchdogs by reporting misconduct that threatens the agency\u2019s credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bThe 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).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bReiterating the Agency’s core principles, Compliance and Audit Manager, Mrs Daphne C. A. Winnebah urged staff to make integrity their daily operational benchmark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b\u201cIntegrity is all about knowing what to do when nobody is watching,\u201d Winnebah said, emphasizing that NMA staff manage vital public resources, revenue, and regulatory decisions. \u201cLet us make integrity not just a subject for discussion. Let integrity be part of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bAdding to the call for personal accountability, NMA Human Resources Manager Bintu B. Abu reminded officers to safeguard their careers in a competitive job market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b\u201cIt is possible for Sierra Leone to be corruption-free\u2014it is a matter of mindset,\u201d Mrs Abu noted, clarifying that the annual collaboration with the ACC aims to educate rather than intimidate personnel. \u201cDon\u2019t allow a one-day issue to destroy your future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bRepresenting the ACC, Mr Samuel Marah, Deputy Director of the Prevention Department, praised the NMA\u2019s proactive stance, noting that structural controls must be backed by individual moral responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200b\u201cThe Commissioner is very keen on prevention, and one key strategy of prevention is ethics and integrity,\u201d Marah stated. He reaffirmed the ACC\u2019s commitment to partnering with Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to eliminate corruption risks across key economic sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200bThe session concluded with practical exercises on navigating workplace ethical dilemmas, identifying corruption vulnerabilities, and implementing institutional anti-corruption safeguards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NMA Partners with ACC\u00a0 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\u2019s mining sector. \u200bThe session, held on Wednesday, September 23, at the NMA headquarters […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3313,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t