The National Anti-Corruption Strategy Document (DSNLCC) is the concrete manifesto of the commitment of the State of Cameroon in the fight for the eradication of corruption in our society. The Electricity Sector Regulatory Agency (ARSEL), in its capacity as Regulator of the electricity sector and fundamentally adhering to this therapy, created within it, by decision N ° 0000211 / D / ARSEL / DAJPC / SDAJ ai / CEA2 of 04 March 2014, the ARSEL Anti-Corruption Commission (CLCC / ARSEL). This Commission, headed by the Director General of ARSEL, spares no effort to participate with enthusiasm in the establishment of all kinds of tools contributing to the eradication of this scourge, in this case this internal pamphlet of fight against corruption within ARSEL.
DEFINITION OF CORRUPTIONAccording to the Cameroonian penal code, corruption is an offense committed by “… any official or public official who, for himself or for a third party, solicits, approves, or receives offers, promises, gifts or presents to make, s' to refrain from performing or postponing an act of office ”: art. 134, paragraph 1 of the CC.
According to the Political Lexicon, "Corruption is the misuse of power, received by delegation, for private purposes such as personal enrichment or of a third party (family, friend, girlfriend ...). It consists for a public official, an elected official, a doctor, a sports arbitrator, an employee of a private company ..., to refrain from doing, to facilitate something because of his function, in exchange for a promise, 'a gift, a sum of money, various advantages'.
In short, corruption is the act of any user or public official inciting his counterpart to act against duty, ethics and morals.
COMMITMENT OF ARSEL TOP MANAGEMENT AGAINST CORRUPTIONThe top management of ARSEL has included the fight against corruption in its action priorities, as reflected in the strategic orientation documents drawn up over the past two decades, namely:
i) the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper,
ii) the Strategy Document for Growth and Employment,
iii) Cameroon's Vision for 2035.
It situates the fight against corruption within the Agency under the following key principles :
1- «People who let themselves be deceived by lies are more dangerous than those who lie; and those who allow themselves to be corrupted are more miserable than the corrupters».
2- « Both the corrupt and the corrupt are subject to blackmail and thus lose their independence.».
3- «Better a dime in the light, than ten in the dirt»
4- « Better a little, honestly earned, than great income unfairly acquired».
5- «You will not accept any gift, for gifts blind those who have their eyes open and pervert the words of the righteous».
6- « Whoever is dishonest in small things is also dishonest in big things ».
THE ATTITUDES TO BE ADOPTED IN THE EVENT OF CORRUPTIBLE BEHAVIORDenouncing corruption is a civic act. Anyone with knowledge of suspected corruption and / or fraudulent activities within the framework of ARSEL's activities is requested to report them.
The main service for receiving corruption-related complaints at ARSEL is the Commission for the Fight against Corruption (CLCC / ARSEL), whose activity is placed under the supervision of the Director General.
Article 134-2 of the Penal Code avoids any criminal prosecution for the victim who denounces the facts of corruption to the judicial authority.
However, it is important to know that slanderous denunciations remain punishable by the Penal Code (article 304).
SANCTIONS INHERENT TO ACTS OF CORRUPTIONThe sanctions imposed on the corrupters and the corrupt at ARSEL are administrative, criminal and / or financial:
Administrative sanctions :They are provided for in the Statute and internal regulations of ARSEL. In addition, taking into account the special status of certain personnel on secondment, the provisions governing them are applied. In particular Decree N ° 95/048 of March 8, 1995 relating to the statute of the judiciary and the disciplinary sanctions provided for by Decree n ° 78/484 of November 9, 1978 governing State employees falling under the Labor Code (most of which serious is the dismissal).
Penals sanctions:Articles 134 and 136 bis of the Penal Code in force provide for a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years and a fine of 200,000 to 20,000,000 FCFA for all those who engage in acts of corruption.
Financial penalties :
- debittance;
- layoff (Article 30 paragraph 2 of the labor code).
As the electricity sector is one of the driving forces behind the socio-economic development of Cameroon, all the actions for its expansion give it a status and roles which all its actors and partners must appropriate in order to achieve the objectives. development objectives set for 2035. ARSEL, in its capacity as regulator of this sector, is playing all cards to make it a benchmark in Africa, particularly in Central Africa. Through this vision, ARSEL makes every effort to clean up any transaction taking place there. Corruption being a scourge that generates many dysfunctions, ARSEL is not running out of actions to stem it. It materializes it within it through the implementation of the PRECIS tool, launched by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (CONAC). Said tool is declined in milestones whose significance relates to Prevention, Education, Conditions, Incentive and Sanction.
Taking the place of prevention, the anti-corruption pamphlet from the Electricity Sector Regulatory Agency is a perfect illustration of this, given the challenges of corruption.