The government of Sierra Leone has assured the plenary session of the 110th International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, that it will review seven of its labor laws.
According to the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Alpha Osman Timbo, some of the laws that will be reviewed include the 84-year-old Trade Union Ordinance, 1940, Cap 221, the Employer and Employed Act, Cap 212, the Employee Registration Ordinance, Cap 213, the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1954, the Regulation of Wages and Industrial Relations Act, No. 18, 1971, the Factories Act, No. 3, 1974, and the General Law (Business Start-Up) Act,
The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Alpha Osman Timbo, informed the conference that the government is currently on a nationwide consultation with stakeholders and key players in the labor sector on how important the review is and to as well listen to and collect feedback from them on the proposed laws to be reviewed.
Before the review, Minister Timbo says the government has taken significant steps in the area of promoting decent work and standards for women and men in the country. He said the ratification of eight International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and a protocol in 2021 were positive milestones for the government and the people of Sierra Leone.
Despite the ongoing nationwide consultation on the review processes, the Minister thanked the ILO for its support of major projects in the country, including four projects funded by the European Union's jobs and growth program.
Timbo says, "We are grateful to ILO for its four-year project, under the framework of the European Union’s Jobs and Growth program, in the districts of Bo, Bombali, Kenema, and Port Loko." This project aims to contribute to large-scale job creation and job quality improvement in sustainable enterprises for unskilled or semi-skilled youth, women, and people with disabilities.
On collaboration and formulation of policies, the Minister said the government is working collaboratively with the Sierra Leone Labour Congress and the Sierra Leone Employers Federation, from the development and formulation stage right through the legislation stages, to ensure they are in the interest of the people.
The Director of the Labour Law Reform Unit at the International Labour Organization (ILO), Christina Mihes, who doubled as a Senior Specialist on Social Dialogue and Labour Law, applauded the government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, for the unprecedented ratification of 10 conventions and a protocol.
She said they are grateful to learn some of the achievements and current challenges faced by the government of Sierra Leone in advancing the labor law reforms and how the ILO (with specific reference to her unit) can collaborate with the Sierra Leone government during the review process.
Director Mihes assured the delegation of her fervent commitments to assist Sierra Leone in terms of international labor standards and labor law specialists. She requested that a representative from the Abuja Regional Office, Siaka Dubbert, collaborate with the Ministry in providing the necessary support to the government for a productive review of its labor laws.
Sierra Leone became a member of the ILO in 1961, shortly after gaining sovereign status. Since then, the country has ratified all the fundamental ILO Conventions and domesticated almost all of them.
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