ACC Launches Review of Rice Import Levy Revenue Following BAN Report

**ACC Launches Review of Rice Import Levy Revenue Following Accountability Concerns**

**FREETOWN** – The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has launched a formal review into the collection and management of revenue generated from Sierra Leone’s five percent rice import duty. The inquiry follows a policy report released by the Budget Advocacy Network (BAN) that raised concerns regarding the oversight of these funds.

Representatives from the ACC and BAN met at Integrity House on Tower Hill, Freetown, on Monday, August 31, 2026, to discuss the findings. The BAN report examined whether proceeds from the levy were being directed to the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) as intended and assessed the potential for these resources to support agricultural opportunities for women under the government’s “Feed Salone” program.

ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala described the current management of the revenue as lacking sufficient coordination. He stated that the Commission intends to verify the issues raised in the report before issuing formal recommendations to the government.

Drawing a comparison to the ACC’s own management of recovered public assets, Commissioner Kaifala suggested that establishing a dedicated account for agricultural development revenue could enhance monitoring, auditing, and public accountability. He invited BAN to submit practical mechanisms for tracking the funds, noting that the ACC would conduct an independent assessment before reporting its findings to the Minister of Finance.

BAN Coordinator Abu Bakarr Kamara welcomed the collaboration, emphasizing the importance of transparency in managing funds earmarked for specific development priorities. According to Kamara, the government’s 2024 Budget Statement committed proceeds from the reintroduced five percent rice import duty to the ADF.

BAN is advocating for at least 30 percent of the funding to be allocated to initiatives supporting women in agriculture. To support its report, the organization gathered data throughout 2025 from the National Revenue Authority, the Ministry of Finance, and other relevant state institutions.

The ACC and BAN have agreed to maintain their partnership throughout the review process. The investigation aims to establish the facts regarding the revenue collected to date and to identify measures to improve the traceability and accountability of public funds reserved for agricultural development.

Article and image source: thecalabashnewspaper.com