‘Mantšali Phakoana
The ministry of public service in collaboration with the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Offices (DCEO) this week officially launched the Systems Integrity Committee (SIC), a mechanism aimed at addressing widespread corruption that has plagued Lesotho’s public service.
As an internal self-monitoring mechanism, the committee is mandated to ensure that all structures of the ministry of public service perform their functions efficiently and effectively with integrity and free from corruption. It will be led by the ministry’s principal secretary, Makhoabane Ledimo.
Speaking at launch, director public education and corruption prevention at the DCEO, Litelu Ramokhoro, said the committee was formed in line with the organisation’s mandate to fight corruption.
Ramokhoro noted that some years ago, when they started engaging government ministries on anticorruption as per the DCEO’s statutory mandate, the ministry of public service did not sit back and wait for their “unknown” turn to come onboard to fight graft.
“As we are fighting corruption, we must know that it has the capacity to fight back under many different guises, many a time subtle way.
“Ours is to remain as resilient as ever, as so well demonstrated by the ministry of public service over time.
“We highly commend the ministry for this great attribute, and I want to believe, from the experience shared, everybody can now understand and appreciate why it gives us uniquely great pleasure to be part of this special event,” he said.
He also highlighted it comes as no surprise that in terms of the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), Lesotho has plummeted from its best position ever, 55th globally, with a 49 percent score in 2013 and 2014, consecutively, down to 99th position in 2022, with a score of 37 percent only.
Ramokhoro added that the DCEO will this week be engaging the last of the country’s 10 districts, Thaba-Tseka, to establish its District Anti-Corruption Committee (DACC) for practical action against corruption.
The organisation also continues to establish Students Integrity Associations (SIAs) with the key objective of inculcating anti-corruption values and principles in students so as to develop them into citizens of integrity.
“In fact, on a much broader scale, the DCEO has engaged the National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) to infuse anti-corruption education in the school curricular, right from pre-school to tertiary/university level.
“Quality service delivery is the critical recipe for both economic development and socio-political stability, which our country in particular, has not enjoyed for the longest time, and worst during the period of coalition governments (2012 to the present),” he said.
Ramokhoro further indicated that the latest Auditor General’s report released a few days ago has exposed the dire state of the country’s accounts, showing that billions of maloti are unaccounted for.
“In the same manner, the issue of recruitment and all that goes with it, especially in the public sector, leaves just too much to be desired.”
He also pointed out that the DCEO is engaging youth in different sectors, namely business, sport, churches and politics to participate in the fight against corruption.
At the national level, he added, the organisation employs the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan (NACSAP) framework as a multi-sectoral platform for action against corruption, by the public sector, the legislature, the judiciary, the private sector and civil society organisations, religious bodies and media.
In his remarks, minister of public service, Stephen Mputi, said the committee will need support from other stakeholders in order to function effectively and efficiently.
“They will need your cooperation and support so that as a collective, we are able to devise interventions and solutions to curb corruption.
“I am particularly excited about the positive changes this initiative will bring and I am proud to be part of this important journey. I therefore, commit to contribute significantly to the SIC and its goals.
“I reiterate that we will support and protect your work and efforts, as it is in our best interests to realise the indicators in the annual work plan,” he noted.
Mputi added that he believes that the sensitisation and rigorous workshops the committee members went through from the DCEO have adequately prepared them for the task ahead.
He was therefore, looking forward to seeing the committee taking its assignment with integrity and without fear or favour.
