2024

ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION OF SIERRA LEONE

An independent institution established for the prevention, investigation, prosecution and punishment of corruption, corrupt practices and to provide for other related matters. 

Contact us on: +23278832131 or info@anticorruption.gov.sl
Address:  Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown Sierra Leone, West Africa.

2019 Comms Strategy_FINAL

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1. 1 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION SIERRA LEONE 2019 PAY NO BRIBE INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY FINAL

10. 10 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 Integrated PNB i nformation and stories on b ribery and corruption , disseminated through TV programmes in Freetown with onward transmission across the country. 3. Online and Social Media Presence and Profile Soci al media used internally to ensure sharing of information within ACC ; and externally to disseminate bribery and corruption information with different stakeholder groups , including SABI partners at District level . a) Externally, ACC has (or is developing) pag es on Facebook , Dropbox, YouT ube and Sound Cloud for posting and sharing corruption messages , events and news . 4. Outreach work for Community engagement A key component of the Communications work is the engagement of communities, individuals and groups by ACC PEOs . ACC o utreach activities introduce audiences to anti - corruption information including P ay N o B ribe messaging ; demonstrate use of the 515 phone call and mobile app; and answer individual queries. 5. Pr int Media For li terate, largely urban - dwelling c itizens, responsible print media to convey information about bribery and corruption , including PNB . Content will comprise f eatures, op - eds, and news articles to encourage citizens to engage in a more in - depth debate around corruption, its causes and its re asons. In house articles will use content from a range of sources . . MONITORING AND EVALU ATION OF TH E PN B INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY ACC M&E unit will periodically monitor t he implementation of the PNB integrated communications strategy and its overall contribution to ACC communications goals.

12. 12 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 ANNEX TWO: PN B COMMUNICATIONS MESSAGES ANTI - CORRUPTION MESSAGES - INTEGRATED PNB STRATEGY GENERAL MESSAGES – Translate into Krio an d local language 1 It’s your right to access Free Healthcare 2 Say NO to corruption – you have a choice 3 Corruption hurts us all, Pay No Bribe 4 Help eradicate the culture of CORRUPTION – FIGHT bribery 5 Anonymous - CALL TOLL FREE 515 6 Corru ption, your NO counts

11. 11 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 ANNEX ONE: ACC INT EGRATED PNB COMM UNICATIONS OPERA TIONAL PLAN 2019 Communications Integrated PNB Operations Plan Component Radio Nationwide airing of PNB Theme tune 1/ week Fortnightly PNB m agazine/discussion programmes aired nationwide = 2 programmes/month 30 minute radio discussions integrating PNB - 4/month WA; 2/month x 19 district stations Nationwide airing of PNB Theme tune 1/ week Fortnightly PNB magazine/discussion programmes aire d nationwide = 2 programmes/month 30 minute radio discussions integrating PNB - 4/month WA; 2/month x 19 district stations Press PNB integrated news articles and features (in house) Publicity IEC PNB integrated banners PNB Integrated Posters larg e PNB Integrated Posters small PNB integrated stickers PNB integrated leaflets ACC Outreach Community Outreach in 5 districts - 2/month ACC monthly PNB integrated mass sensitisation in 16 districts PNB Integrated Meet the School Campaign 50 schools/academic year Integrity clubs 5 regions x 2 terms Accountability Now clubs 5 regions x 10m

9. 9 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 COMMUNICATION TECH NI QUES TO BE EM PLO YED Nationwide coverage is a n ACC priority with a variety of communications techniques applied to meet this aim. For wide coverage and sustainability , citizens will continue to be encou raged to independently phone the free 515 number or use the mobile app. This message is integrated into all ACC communication s outputs . The strategy also includes the extensive use of social media, increasingly important among younger age groups. IEC Mat erials En gaging and informative Information, Education, and Communication ( IEC ) Materials , will support the dissemination of integrated corruption messages to wider audience s . IEC materials will be produced in Krio, and made will be made available in for mats that can be understood by both non - literate and literate audiences . The Communication Operations Plan ( Annex 1 ) details the range of IEC materials produced for different audiences. These comprise:  Banners (using graphics where relevant);  Posters a nd stickers  Wristbands PNB messages integrated into genera l anti - corruption IEC materials, produced in sufficient quantities for outreach activity with different audience types and containing appropriate messaging. 1. Radio Content Strategically, r adio rema ins a core element of the comm unication s strategy , with the greatest potential to maximis e both reach and sustainability. Radio has the largest network of any communications medium , listened to by a broad range of citizens including women , bike riders and people living in rural areas 4 . 81 % of Sierra Leoneans access radio, 47% listen to it on a daily basis . Fractured Radio listenership means however th at no single station reach es a national audience. Around 50 radio stations are currently broadcasting, with many having a limited, local audience . Different stations are popular in different parts of the country . In order to reach a maximum audience ACC will continue to work with a number of broadcast partners and use diversified formats to achieve nationwide c overage . The ACC will be integrating PNB messaging into weekly Corruption programmes as well as allocating fortnightly slots to specific PNB programmes. The Communications Operations Plan (Annex 1) describes the range of radio formats, including jingles, a PNB signature tune, 90 - second public service announcements, and panel discussions. In particular, radio discussions will be brief (30 minutes) and include a PNB signature tune, vox pops, jingles, and opinion leader endorsements to attract listeners’ atte ntion. Further opportunities identified by the ACC to work with other communication s programmes and content producers during 201 9 . By February 2019 however , ACC will be airing self - produc ed r adio content using its audio booth ; providing greater independe nce and reduced production costs. 2. TV Content 4 BBC Media Action 2015

3. 3 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 INTROD UCTION Corruption is an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, ero des the quality of life and allows organized crime, terrorism and other threats to human security to flourish. (UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION AGAINST CORRUPTION) Corruption in Sierra Leone is a significant impediment to the G overnment’s ability to meet the n eeds of its citizens and develop the economy. It permeates almost every sector of Sierra Leone’s public services, compromising citizens’ access to basic public services and institutions such as health, education and police. Bribery and petty corruption o ccurs at numerous levels and for many reasons. Conditions that contribute to its prevalence include economic factors, particularly poverty; social factors such as cultural practices; political entitlement by bureaucrats and politicians; and administrative ineffici encies. A culture of bribery is perpetuated by citizens ’ belie f that they cannot get anything done without paying. B ribery represent s a significant drain on poor people’s household income , particularly when regular health and/or education services are required . G eneral ly, bribes are higher in more remote areas. The Anti - Corruption Commission, established in 2000, has committed to a proactive and strategic approach to preventing corruption and strengthening public trust in its work. It takes a thre e - pronged approach to the fight against corruption – prevention, education and prosecution. In keeping with the current SLPP government’s commitment to tackle both grand and petty corruption and bribery in key service areas, the ACC shares data on corru ption trends with relevant MDAs on a quarterly basis. ACC expects MDAs to use the information to address corruption at source through administrative or systems reforms. The ACC website and a range of media will publish reporting data and MDA responses to citizens . The ACC PNB platform provides an anonymous mechanism for citizens to report incidents of bribery in MDAs through:  a toll - free hotline phone number (dial 515)  a mobile app that can be downloaded and  the ACC website www.anticorruption.gov.sl Com munications work underpins all ACC outreach work and aim s to tackl e public sector bribery and grand corruption in Sierra Leone. The deployment of a variety of tools and medium maximise the dissemi nat ion of corruption messages to all population groups in o rder to inform the public , strengthen confidence in the ACC, and to increase sustainability of its work . An update to t he 2018 PNB communications strategy took place in October 2018 . This process reflect s an ACC desire to integrate PNB messaging into its general communications and outreach materials following the end of DFID funding for PNB in December 2018. It also reflects the 2018 change in G overnment and its oft - stated commitment to tackle all forms of corruption, especially grand corruption.

2. 2 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION 3 COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES 4 IMPLEMENTATION ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Error! Bookmark not defined. TARGET AUDIENCES 6 REACHING TARGET AUDIENCES 6 STRATEGIC MESSAGES Error! Bookmark not defined. WHAT WILL SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Error! Bookmark not defined. COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES TO BE EMPLOYED 9 SUPPORTING PNB DELIVERY THROUGH TRAINING Error! Bookmark not defined. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF THE COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY 10 Annex One: The PNB Integrated Communications Operational plan 11 Annex Two : PNB Communications Messages 14 Tables Table 1 Strategy Implementation Activities ................................ ................................ ................................ . 5 Table 2: Engaging Different Tar get Groups ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 7

8. 8 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 STRATEGIC MESSAGES For the communications strategy to succe ed , public reporting of corruption through the ACC must be perceived as easy, safe and free. All ACC communications will therefore make clear that “Reporting corruption using the ano nymous 515 line does not result in the caller being identified , nor the person being reported , nor the name of the facility being reported . Reporting is free, it does not cost anything.” This is critical in building public trust in the ACC and to maximisin g the number of reports received. The ACC will develop messages around the following themes :  Corruption taken seriously : the Sierra Leone Government is proactive in tackl ing public sector corruption as well as grand corruption.  W ork ing together : the ACC, public sector , civil society, and Sierra Leone citizens have the power to reduce corruption in the public sector .  Corruption disproportionately affects the poorest and most vulnerable in society. ACC regional staff will collect s uccess stories and conc rete actions derivi ng from their anti - corruption work and proactively share them in the public domain to demonstrate progress. They will use social media (where possible ); print media; radio s hows; and/or fed into the story lines of radio drama. Flexibl e application of c ommunications messages will help to ensure that feedback and lessons learned may be adaptively applied. This will largely occur through outreach in the following ways:  PEOs will work with the ACC monitorin g team to canvas citizen percepti ons of corruption plus other concerns during q uarterly monitoring visits , including FGD. Results captured in both M&E and PEO reports.  Where applicable , PEOs will follow up on specific points expressed by citizens with individual interviews . These will exp lore whether or not people read/listen to/understand corruption messages, and the extent to which some message s and/or formats are more usef ul . F indings will help modify messages or other communications content to ensure ongoing relevance. WH AT WILL SUC CESS LOOK LI KE? Key deliverable s detailed below : Citizens of Sierra Leone  Reduced b ribery and corruption in Sierra Leone  Citizen belief that their active participation in the fight for better service delivery will make a difference to corruption level s.  The impact of p ublic pressure and engagement on service delivery agents will reduce both the level of bribe requests and the amounts paid. ACC  Improv ed ACC reputation as a provider of high quality educational content that positively influences citiz ens to combat corruption.

4. 4 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 COMM UNICATION OBJ ECTIVES The Overall O bjective of the ACC Integrated Communications Strategy is ; C ontribute to an overall reduction of grand and petty corruption in Sierra Leone . T hrough effective and targeted communications, ACC will promote those behaviour changes necessary in achiev ing sustainable change to corrupt practise s . Implementation of th is Strategy focus es around four strategic approaches : 1/ Develop effective , integrated public education and outreach materials (principally targeted at citizens , users and potential users of services) 2/ S trengthen MDA information and responsiveness (principally tar geting MDA officials, managers and service delivery agents) 3/ Expand the scope of ACC communications to include all MDAs, the private sector , and per sons with unexplained wealth 4/ Expand scope and release of public interest information such as monies recovered, number dismissed , numbers successfully prosecuted. Strategic Approach 1: Actions  Integrate PNB into selected ACC IEC in order to maintain P NB ’s profile amongst citizens  12% of all radio programming to be focused on PNB (i.e. 2 prog ramme s/month); PNB messaging integrated in to general anti - corruption radio programming  30 % of all radio output to be produced in - house .  PNB messaging to be inte grated into ACC regional mass sensitisation on corruption issues  PNB messaging to be integrated into Meet the Schools work  Develop new IEC materials focusing on grand corruption . Strategic Approach 2: Actions  In liaison with NACS team develop and publish monthly press briefings on actions taken by MDAs in response to public reports to PNB. Ensure coverage in the press plus nationwide radio  Develop and publish quarterly public briefing papers on sums recovered from the prosecution of grand and lesser corru ption cases , plus numbers successfully prosecuted Strategic Approach 3: Actions  Capture appropriate anti - corruption messages for public dissemination during the planning of monthly o utreach meetings.  Conduct an outcome assessment of every public meeti ng using structured questionnaire s and vox pops. Strategic Approach 4: Actions  Monthly/ Quarterly press briefings on successful prosecutions, indictments, monies rec overed , numbers transferred or dismissed IMPLEMENTATION ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The 20 19 strategy will be ACC implement ed in alignment with collaborati ve and complementary engagement by other Sierra Leonean institutions to deliver the strategy plan objectives. T hree groups of actors have been identified : i) ACC Officials; ii) CSOs ; iii) Bro adcasters and media associates who will work closely with CSOs and ACC. T able 1 below indicate s major areas of activity .

6. 6 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 service charters. S upport MDAs /IMCs in following up on specific and general responses to bri bery reports  Engage responsive officials at district level to help reduce corruption and bribery in particular facilities  Lobby officials and/or facilities where appr opriate to raise awareness of bribery and corruption services . to respond to criticism throug h radio or print TARGET AUD IENCES ACC has identified ta rget communitie s at district and national levels . The primary target audiences for the ACC are:  Immediate users of public services in Sierra Leone – i.e. men, women and youth  Citizens working w ith other governance/ anti - corruption programmes (e.g. SABI , SSN ( Social Safety Net programme ) .  Service delivery officials in the following agencies: Health , Education, Sierra Leone P olice (SLP) , Ju stice Sector , EDSA (electricity), SALWACO (water in distric ts) and Guma Water (Freetown) plus, over time, additional service sectors including the private sector .  Officials within the target public sectors, especially senior MDA managers and civil servants within Health , Education, SLP , Judiciary, EDSA (electricit y), SALWAC O (water in districts) and Guma (water in Freetown)  Politicians, Paramount Chiefs and traditional rulers, leaders and decision makers  Local government and politicians, traditional rulers, and decision maker  School going children REACH ING TARGE T AUD IENCES The Integrated Communications Strategy identif ies different audiences . It also identifies how each audience receive s and absorb s different types of information; and key messages promoted to different audiences through n umerous ACC communicatio n channels . Evidence drawn from similar programmes highlights the effectiveness of combining media work with public outreach in order to engage rural and illiterate audiences in particular 1 , and of not relying on single interventions 2 to achieve sustainabl e behavioural outcomes. Below is a listing of the broad approaches applied by ACC: 1 Andrew Skuse, Diane Rodger, Gerry Power, Domenic Friguglietti Mbus, Tait Brimacombe (2013), ' Communications for Development Intervention s in Fragile States: A Systematic Review '

7. 7 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 Table 2 : Engaging Different Target Groups 3 Target group How to reach them Pregnant and lactating mothers, U5s Visit PHUs/MCHs/DHMT PNB Integrated posters/IEC materials ACC and collaborative partners attend health centres to raise awareness Radio, town hall meetings, trade fairs School children Comic posters Kids and teen shows/programs Debate, Drama & Quizzes (DDQ) Sustained engagement by AC C Oka da riders Stickers Engage ment /dialogue meetings with the union executives Pop music WhatsApp/social media Secondary messaging through riders Drivers Lorry parks Same as O kada riders University students Public lectures Strengthen Accountability Now Clubs as peer educators WhatsApp, Facebook Embed corruption sensitization into public functions/events – eg. during orientation Posters on campus Chiefdom structures – WDC, VDC, FMCs, etc Engage with other chiefdom network structures e.g . SABI Restless Developm ent and Christian Aid partners; Action Aid etc . Establish MOUs with likeminded agencies e . g . RD and CAID plus Accountability Consortium and Service Delivery Religious leaders Promote dialogue with RLs to integrate corruption into Sunday sermons, Friday p rayers and religious broadcasting Strengthen RL endorsement and participation in anti - corruption activities Develop appropriate corru ption messages quoting Bible, Qu ran Market women/traders’ union Engage the union Use comedians in market places Use Drama /Radio that women listen to CSOs Invite to attend meetings e.g. existing quarterly coordination meetings Radio Joint advocacy/sensitisation activities MDAs/other service providers Encourage public endorsement of anti - corruption Sign integrity pacts Unem ployed youths Engage at the lorry park, attire base, poyo bars, ghettos, trade fairs, car wash, music, WhatsApp, football games, cinema halls General population Persuade national celebrities – footballers, musicians, etc. to endorse anti - corruption mess ages 2 Haider, Huma; McLoughlin, Claire; Scott, Zoe, (2011), ' Topic Guide on Communication and Governance' , GSDRC 3 For details and costings for the activities in the table, see the Communications Operations Plan in Annex 1

5. 5 | P a g e I n t e g r a t e d C o m m u n i c a t i o n s S t r a t e g y 2 0 1 9 Table 1 Strategy Implementation Activities Detailed objectives ACC Actions CSO Actions Broadcasters and Med ia Associates Actions Develop effective public education and information  De velop relevant, quality broadcast content/IEC materials/ social media content for outreach to both literate and non - literate audiences in Krio integrating PNB messaging.  With partn ers , develop and deliver key corruption messages  Use monitoring techniques , including FGD to capture perceptional change arising from communication initiatives  Collect success stories and other narratives that demonstrate how ACC outreach materials influen ce behaviour change of service delivery officials and/or influencing MDA responses.  Deliver relevant outreach products in Krio to convey corruption messages to a wider range of citizens in both hub and non - hub districts.  In partnership w ith ACC, develop and deliver key corruption messages  Use monitoring techniques that capture unusual methodologies such as cartoons, soap operas etc.  Broadcast information in a range of formats to help citizens become more aware of corruption and bribery including PNB  Mai ntain public profile of bribery and corruption by reporting on corruption and PNB stories and following up on small and large corruption cases  Introduce an Independent Media Commission Award for best journalism on corruption issues. Strengthen MDA info rmation and responsiveness  Engage with MDAs at district level in specific initiatives to improve accountability and transparency  Improve public knowledge of MDA  Where useful, existing MDA Service Charters will be simplifed and provided with a n FAQ section which provides answers on how to procure various government  Publicise stories targeted at MDAs to demand accountability;  Invite service delivery officials

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