By: Saidu Jalloh
The Director General of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, has presented the status report on the Informal Sector Project to the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, at Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel in Freetown.
In his statement, the NASSIT strongman expressed his gratitude to the Minister and his team for their selfless oversight, and the opportunity accorded him to update the Ministry on the strides made to extend coverage to the Informal Sector.
Mr Daboh expressed his gratification to His Excellency, the President, Retired Brigadier Dr. Julius Maas Bio for not only appointing him to the office but also for the political will he continues to demonstrate over the affairs of the Trust.
The Director General described the occasion as not only an opportunity to update the Minister on the status of the proposed Scheme but also as a fulfillment of his responsibility to give account of his stewardship to the President and people of Sierra Leone.
He stated that in the past 20 years, the Trust has made giant strides to provide coverage to the formal sector but has been challenged to extend coverage to the Informal sector which constitutes over 70% of the country’s workforce.
According to him, in 2015, NASSIT management initiated preliminary studies and stakeholder consultations, revealing a need for a scheme tailored to the needs of informal sector workers. He went on to say that even though a concept paper was developed and approved by the Board of Trustees, progress was stalled due to coordination issues.
According to Mr Daboh, upon his appointment in 2018 and with the desired mindset of his team to change the trajectory, NASSIT engaged the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for technical support, upon which both internal and external structures were developed, trainings conducted and studies initiated to determine public willingness to join the Scheme, the nature of scheme, contribution rate, benefit type and qualifying conditions.
In conclusion, Mr. Daboh applauded the International Labour Organisation for both their technical and financial support.
In his remarks, the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Hon. Mohamed Rahman Swarray, intimated his audience that the welfare of the Informal Sector is central to the heart of the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
“In his statement at the State Opening of the 6th Parliament, President Bio spoke about making adequate provision for the Informal Sector,” the Minister disclosed.
Hon. Swarray expressed his delight to witness the fulfillment of the President’s desire to reduce the vulnerability of members in the Informal Sector, adding that conducting actuarial studies for the establishment of the Informal Sector Scheme was welcoming news.
He recalled that he was first updated on the Informal Sector Scheme Project during the Steering Committee meeting, few months after he assumed office as Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, and expressed his determination to establish the Informal Sector Scheme in the shortest possible time.
“I don’t want it established next year, I want it this year,” Minister Swarray demanded.
The Minister concluded on a note of appreciation to the Director General, Management, the Technical and Steering Committees for their tremendous efforts in ensuring that President’s key ambition is actualized. He encouraged them to consider this a national service.
In his opening statement, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Joseph Tekman Kanu, who chaired the occasion, thanked the Director General and his team for such an extensive work on the Informal Sector. He said the willingness of the Director General to give account of his stewardship was not only best practice but a demonstration of confidence and hardwork.
The presentation on the status report of the Informal Sector climaxed the occasion.
