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P R A C T I T I O N E R S ’ G U I D E :
C A PA C I T Y
A S S E S S M E N T
O F
A N T I C O R R U P T I O N
A G E N C I E S
employees. Some agencies have an internal oversight agency to investigate breaches of its code of conduct, or a agency that monitors and reviews all complaints made against agency staff.
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• Performance management and incentives: A performance management system should be in place that sets measurable performance targets for staff and ensures regular assessment and feedback on performance. Linked to that, an incentive system should be in place including the following; competitive salary partly performancebased; attractive career development options, recognitions and rewards, opportunities for leadership. The system should motivate staff to excel at their job. • Staff competencies: Staff backgrounds and experiences; capability of the staff to undertake multiple roles, commitment both to mission/ strategy and continuous learning; staff willingness and ability to take on special projects and collaborate across division lines. Relevant staff equally needs to be welltrained in financial resource management and procurement in order for the ACA to lead by example through following high standards in resource management, allocation and expenditure. Staff competencies are also essential to use both software and hardware to conduct investigation and store information and data.
6. Training and mentoring Any specialized organization requires its staff to be trained. This is certainly the case for ACAs. A general induction training for all new
staff joining the organization will be useful, as well as more specific training tailored to technical functions e.g., investigation of corruption, management of asset declarations, development of anticorruption campaigns. Aside induction training, on the job training with assistance from mentors from within the organization will be most effective for skills transfer. At the startup of a new ACA, a large number of staff may require specialized training. Study tours abroad to established ACAs, as well as international training from international training institutes may be quite relevant. Twinning arrangements may also help to meet the training needs within the organization. Incentives should be devised for staff to impart and apply the newly obtained knowledge and skills. A system for regular knowledge sharing is needed to ensure that knowledge is genuinely absorbed in the organization.
7. Procurement and finance As ACAs assume a “watchdog” role over public financial management, they need to establish a reputation of being clean themselves at the expense of losing credibility otherwise. ACAs tend to blame and shame other institutions and individuals for mismanagement and corruption, hence it is of utmost importance that the ACA observes the highest standards in terms of its own procurement and finance actions. Adequate rules and procedures for procurement and financial transactions need to be in place, observed and monitored. An independent review, for example, by the Supreme Audit Institution is also relevant to validate the books and performance of the ACA.