By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
Commenting on their press release dated 19th of March this year, which speaks to the compliance to the Work Permit Act 2023, Acting Director General, Ministry of Employment Labour Social Security, Sinneh Bockarie has told Politico that foreign workers defaulting on payments for work permit will face fines and other penalties.
Bockarie made this statement to Politico in an exclusive interview on 22nd March, 2024. He spoke of conducting routine checks to ensure compliance, and that there will be no excuse for defaulters.
“There are fines and penalties in the new Act for defaulters,” the Acting Director emphasised.
Speaking about the rationale for the work permit, he said it is to regularize the employment of foreign workers, noting that the Work Permit Act 2023 (Act No. 11 of 2023, Statutory Instrument No. 1 of 2024) makes provision to regulate the foreign workers in the country. He said laws contained in the Act will be enforced.
”What we have done recently as a ministry is to develop a regulation that speaks to the payment of work permit,” he said, adding that work permit in the new act is categorised from A to F, highlighting category A that speaks to foreign workers who are non -citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), B category is for those foreign experts who are ECOWAS citizens, among others, empahsising that fees are paid based on the category which a foreign worker falls.
He pointed out that the aim of the new act is not limited to only the payment of work permits but issues to do with local employment in the country. “So, we want to change that perspective,” he maintained, noting it as one of the aims for the development of the new act.
For the existing application process for work permit, Bokarie said applicants should first make enquiries about the necessary documents needed, the payment of the application fee at Bank of Sierra Leone, submission of pay slips. “After the application process is completed, the applicants, within two weeks, will be notified on whether the application is approved or not,” he noted.
He admitted that their office is yet to have comprehensive electronic data to track all businesses and institutions across the country, but that banks, mining and shipping companies, aviation sector, among others to name have registered with the Labour Ministry. He said they are working on having a digital Labour Marketing System which will track the total number of all businesses and companies.
Because of the skills gap, the acting -director stated that employers would be required to provide succession plans in terms of skills by providing equal opportunities to Sierra Leoneans who have the requisite skills.
Copyright © 2024 Politico (25/03/24)
