ACC Records 81% Compliance in 2026 Asset Declaration Exercis

By Abdul Rahman Bah

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has reported significant progress in Sierra Leone’s 2026 Asset Declaration Exercise, with 13,036 out of 16,144 public officers targeted having so far declared their assets.

The figure represents an 81 percent compliance rate, according to the ACC Coordinator of Operations, Patrick Sandi, who provided an update on the exercise and outlined measures being taken to strengthen compliance, accountability and institutional integrity within the public service.

Sandi disclosed that the asset declaration portal is scheduled to close on Friday, 21 August 2026, and urged public officers who have not yet completed the process to do so before the deadline.

He warned that failure to declare assets within the stipulated period would attract sanctions in accordance with the law, stressing that asset declaration is a statutory obligation for public officers and an important component of the country’s anti-corruption framework.

According to him, officers who fail to submit their declarations will first be issued a 14-day default notice. If they remain non-compliant after the notice period, their salaries could be withheld for one month.

Sandi further explained that continued failure to comply could result in a three-month suspension, with persistent defaulters eventually facing dismissal from public office.

The ACC official said the sanctions are intended not only to punish non-compliance but also to reinforce a culture of transparency and accountability among public officials.

Previous Exercise Recorded 99.54% Compliance

Sandi also provided comparative figures from the previous asset declaration cycle, which recorded a significantly higher compliance rate.

He disclosed that 17,173 out of 17,253 public officers targeted during the previous exercise declared their assets, representing 99.54 percent compliance.

The remaining officers who failed to meet the requirement were subsequently subjected to administrative sanctions, demonstrating the Commission’s determination to enforce the asset declaration provisions.

The comparison between the two cycles means that the ACC still has a significant number of officers to reach before the 2026 deadline if it is to approach the level of compliance recorded during the previous exercise.

With more than 3,000 targeted officers yet to complete their declarations, the Commission is expected to intensify its engagement with institutions and public officers ahead of the closure of the portal.

Digital Reforms Improve Declaration Process

Sandi attributed improvements in the asset declaration system to reforms introduced under the 2019 amendment to the Anti-Corruption Act, as well as the adoption of digital technologies.

He said the ACC, with support from the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), has increasingly relied on digital systems to make the declaration process more efficient and accessible.

The shift from predominantly manual procedures to digital platforms has helped simplify the process for public officers while also enabling the Commission to monitor declarations more effectively.

The digital system also provides the ACC with improved capacity to track compliance and identify officers who have failed to submit their declarations within the prescribed period.

Sandi said the Commission is not stopping at the current digital platform, revealing that it is considering the introduction of mobile-based services to further simplify the process.

The proposed mobile services are expected to provide public officers with an additional and more convenient means of accessing asset declaration services, particularly as mobile technology remains one of the most widely used digital tools in Sierra Leone.

Asset Declaration as Anti-Corruption Tool

Asset declaration is a key component of Sierra Leone’s broader efforts to prevent corruption and promote integrity in public service.

The system requires designated public officers to provide information about their assets and interests, allowing the ACC to monitor potential conflicts of interest and investigate cases where wealth or property may appear inconsistent with a public officer’s legitimate sources of income.

The Commission has continued to emphasise that asset declaration should not be viewed merely as an administrative requirement, but as an important mechanism for strengthening public confidence in government institutions.

Through the process, the ACC can establish records against which changes in a public officer’s assets may be assessed, particularly where there are allegations of corruption, illicit enrichment or unexplained wealth.

Sandi’s update therefore comes at a critical stage of the 2026 exercise, with the deadline only days away.

ACC Warns Defaulters

The ACC has maintained that public officers cannot ignore the statutory requirement to declare their assets.

Sandi’s warning that defaulters could ultimately lose their jobs underscores the seriousness with which the Commission views non-compliance.

The graduated sanctions—from a 14-day default notice to salary withholding, suspension and possible dismissal—are intended to give officers opportunities to comply while ensuring that persistent refusal carries consequences.

The Commission is therefore calling on all outstanding public officers to take advantage of the remaining period before the portal closes on August 21.

With 13,036 declarations already recorded out of 16,144 targeted officers, the ACC is now focused on closing the remaining compliance gap and ensuring that as many public officers as possible fulfil their legal obligations.

The Commission’s continued investment in digital systems and consideration of mobile-based services also signals an effort to make future declaration exercises more accessible while strengthening the country’s wider anti-corruption and accountability mechanisms