By Kenneth Thompson

President of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, Mohamed Amadu Deen, has told Politico that the minimum wage in Sierra Leone is likely to be increased by over 600% early next year. 

He compared the country’s current monthly minimum wage of Le21,000 ($5) per month to those of Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia which currently stand at US $90, US $115 and US $114 respectively. This figure, he added, would change to Le 300,000 (US $70) per month in Sierra Leone.

He said the Joint National Negotiating Board, responsible to set the national minimum wage for every worker in the country, had concluded agreement regarding the increment, with government, industries and other private enterprises. He said they had even forwarded the negotiated agreement to the commissioner general at the ministry of trade and industry for action.

Deen also stated that the minimum of Le 300,000 as wage for workers did not include transport, medical and rental allowances.

“It is only the basic salary that would be required of every employer to pay their employee”, he said, adding that the minimum wage requirement covered every worker in both the public and private sectors.

He explained that the current minimum wage for workers in Sierra Leone was instituted by the 1996 government of President Tejan Kabbah but said the economic situation in the country had propelled them to take up such initiative for the Sierra Leonean worker.

“Our original proposal was 1,500,000 so that we can harmonize our basic minimum wage with other countries in the sub-region”, the labour congress boss said.

On perceptions that labour congress's potency has been questioned in recent times, he said his organisation would not "just jump up" to look into labour issues with spontaneity.

“It is the trade union groups that should negotiate frequently when issues of concern confront their members, not the labour congress. We are the national body and we take up issues that have to deal with every worker in the country”, he said.

Deen said that to deal with issues regarding ministries, departments, agencies and their employees’ welfare, they’d directly engaged the heads of such institutions and tried to negotiate the problems.

(C) Politico 26/11/13

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Le 300,000 for minimum wage

By Kenneth Thompson

President of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, Mohamed Amadu Deen, has told Politico that the minimum wage in Sierra Leone is likely to be increased by over 600% early next year. 

He compared the country’s current monthly minimum wage of Le21,000 ($5) per month to those of Ghana, Nigeria and Liberia which currently stand at US $90, US $115 and US $114 respectively. This figure, he added, would change to Le 300,000 (US $70) per month in Sierra Leone.

He said the Joint National Negotiating Board, responsible to set the national minimum wage for every worker in the country, had concluded agreement regarding the increment, with government, industries and other private enterprises. He said they had even forwarded the negotiated agreement to the commissioner general at the ministry of trade and industry for action.

Deen also stated that the minimum of Le 300,000 as wage for workers did not include transport, medical and rental allowances.

“It is only the basic salary that would be required of every employer to pay their employee”, he said, adding that the minimum wage requirement covered every worker in both the public and private sectors.

He explained that the current minimum wage for workers in Sierra Leone was instituted by the 1996 government of President Tejan Kabbah but said the economic situation in the country had propelled them to take up such initiative for the Sierra Leonean worker.

“Our original proposal was 1,500,000 so that we can harmonize our basic minimum wage with other countries in the sub-region”, the labour congress boss said.

On perceptions that labour congress's potency has been questioned in recent times, he said his organisation would not "just jump up" to look into labour issues with spontaneity.

“It is the trade union groups that should negotiate frequently when issues of concern confront their members, not the labour congress. We are the national body and we take up issues that have to deal with every worker in the country”, he said.

Deen said that to deal with issues regarding ministries, departments, agencies and their employees’ welfare, they’d directly engaged the heads of such institutions and tried to negotiate the problems.

(C) Politico 26/11/13

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