By Nasratu Kargbo
Hon. Alusine Kanneh, Deputy Chief Whip in the Sierra Leone parliament has expressed dissatisfaction over the way Sierra Leoneans are being maltreated by foreigners and urged the Minister of Labour and Social Security Alpha Osman Timbo to ensure that the new laws are implemented to the letter.
Hon. Kanneh who is also Chairman of the Internal Affairs Committee made this call on the 18th January 2023 during the debate on the bill entitled the Work Permit Act 2022. He stated that the Sierra Leone had good laws, but emphasised that the problem had always been with implementing them.
The Chairman spoke explained how a Lebanese national maltreated a member of his family, adding that his nephew ended up been sacked without pay and benefits. He said there were many others suffering at the hands of foreigners and called for the implementation of the laws which according to the MP will protect workers.
Hon. Kanneh mentioned that there are foreigners who own businesses in the country that are not qualified to work here. The MP said that the labour ministry should be able to generate income from work permit license.
While making recommendations to deal with some of the problems he highlighted, Hon. Kanneh mentioned that the ministry should have staff, charged with the responsibility to provide information to the ministry about companies and businesses that hire workers without a work permit.
Representing constituency 023 Hon. Musa Fofanah said the bill when passed into law would stop foreigners from working in Sierra Leone without a work permit and urged for the popularization of the labour bills when enacted. He said that people in remote areas should have knowledge of the law, noting that if that was not done citizens would be violating the law unknowingly.
Chief Whip Dickson Rogers from constituency 100 heaped praises on the bills, but quickly stated that he expected to see an area in the bill that states that foreigners who want to hire workers or work in the country should apply before entering the country.
Hon. Rogers said as a way to strengthen the local content policy, the ministry should ensure that when giving working permit to foreigners, it should not be for a job or businesses that Sierra Leoneans can do or are engaged in.
He urged the minister to ensure the bill is actualised.
The Minister of Labour and Social Security Alpha Osman Timbo introduced three labour laws entitled the Overseas Employment 2022, the Workers Permit Act 2022 and Migrant Workers Act 2022, all of which have been committed to the legislative committee.
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