By Ragan M. Conteh

At a press conference at ACC’s Tower Hill office, the Anti-Corruption Commissioners, Francis Ben Kelfala says, “I see no reason why we should not use death penalty for those looters that use state resources to deprive the state.”

Francis Ben Kelfala has also frown at those heads of institutions who reneged on their duties by failing to undertake proper supervisory role at  institutions they represent.

“I want parliament especially the Public Account Committee to recommend this time to dismiss those who handle their offices recklessly. Punitive measures should be adopted to avert any reoccurrences.”

The ACC boss made the submissions during a press conference held at the commission’s headquarters regarding the 2023 Audit Service Report being laid in parliament.

According to Ben Kelfala there should be consequences meted on against “public officials who fails to do their jobs” accurately, adding that normally junior workers are intimidated in their workplaces because they control the finances and handle the administrative issues.

He said most times upon auditors conducting their work it is clear that the junior workers are the ones facing the wreaths of their bosses’ messes.

Kelfala furthered that in most of the evidence in ministries, departments and agencies are not tied to the tigers as being culpable for a wrong (heads of institutions) but the flyers (junior workers) are the ones who often sign the cheques and manage the resources and so they are those facing troubling issues.

He acknowledged that the 2023 Audit report is rife with a plethora of issues and most of the issues are similar in all of the institutions.

He revealed that most of the institutions have manuals but are still people in those  institutions who behave in  grossly bad manner.

He said some institutions have systems or in all administrative problems, adding that to prevent the loss of funds in MDAs, drastic actions should be instituted.

“We are yet to be serious as a country because those who were appointed in offices to help the President to achieve his agenda are those sitting in their offices doing nothing,” Ben Kelfala frowns.

Mr Ben Kelfala pointed out that the same issues in the last audit reports occur as the same issues again in the next report.

He asked that there  should be parliamentary efforts to help address these recurring issues.

He recommended for a stricter laws that will not only aim at wiping out corruption but also to kicking out administrative inefficiencies in the system.

The ACC Boss has also informed newsmen that the commission will work with parliament to determine which areas the ACC will chip in regarding the issues pinpointed.

Meanwhile, he has promised and expressed determination to work with parliament for thorough investigations and recoup government resources.