Sierra Leone mining agency warns staff against fraud, corruption

Sierra Leone’s National Minerals Agency (NMA), in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), has warned newly recruited field officers against fraud and other unethical practices in the mining sector.

The warning was issued during a one-day ethics and integrity training held on September 23, 2026, at the NMA headquarters in Freetown.

The training brought together newly appointed Assistant Mining Engineers, Geologists and Mines Compliance Officers as part of a nationwide integrity programme previously held in Makeni, Bo, Kono and Kenema.

NMA Director General Ing. Hadji Dabo said the agency had received reports of staff involvement in fraudulent activities and warned that officers found engaging in such practices would face dismissal and possible prosecution.

“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,” he said.

He urged officers to uphold professional standards and report misconduct that could undermine the agency’s credibility.

The training focused on corruption prevention, statutory compliance and the legal framework governing the mining sector, including the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008, as amended in 2019.

ACC Deputy Director of Prevention, Samuel Marah, said ethics and integrity were essential to preventing corruption and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working with public institutions to reduce corruption risks in key economic sectors.

The programme also included practical sessions on workplace ethical dilemmas, corruption risks and institutional safeguards.