By: Morlai Gbla (Kambia District)
Junior staff workers at the Sierra Leone Research institute (SLARI) Rokupr town Kambia District are on a sit down strike for the past one year.
This is according to the spokesperson of the junior staff at Sierra the Leone Research institute Rokupr pa Bundu kamara.
He said they have been working for the past 30 years without any improve conditions of service, he narrated that since 2002 they have been paying their NaSSIT contribution of 15% of which 10% supposed to have been paid by the employer and 5% by the employee according to the policy of employment in Sierra Leone.
Pa Bundu kamara further explained that they have been asking for their backlog NaSSIT payment of 10% since 2002 to date but to no avail.
Kamara said there are junior staff that has acquired additional educational documents in and out of the country but no Promotion since they were employed.
Bundu kamara expressed dissatisfaction over the ministry of Agriculture for not fulfilling their promises since a communique was signed one year ago between the junior staffs and the ministry of Agriculture to improve their conditions of service but everything ended in the dark drains.
Pa Bundu kamara called on the ministry of Agriculture forestry and food security and authorities at the Sierra Leone Research institute Freetown to immediately look into their issue if not they will not allow any work to continue at the Research center in Rokupr town Lower magbema chiefdom kambia District in the coming days.
In Responding to the concerns of the junior staffs workers at the Sierra Leone Research institute rokupr kambia District the Acting Director of SLARI Rokupr kambia District Dr Adam sheka kanu said they have been doing their best to channel all the concerns of the junior staff to the national level but nothing have been done in respect of their concerns.
Dr Adam sheka kanu said he is also suffering from the Same injustice system the junior staffs are facing he made mention about the visit of the Director General of SLARI to Rokupr few weeks ago were he promised all the workers that the issue will be solved amicably but up till now no positive response.
Dr kanu further explained that there are lots of difficulties since the junior staffs are on strike for past the one year which is affecting their work greatly.
Dr kanu ended up by calling all on authorities concerned to speedily look into the issues of the junior staffs workers as we approach to the raining season without them no work will be in progress.
