By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
On Wednesday, April 13th, 2024, the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Employment, Labour, and Social Security convened to engage with the management of Sea Coach Express, focusing on overseeing the company’s operations and its adherence to relevant laws. Representatives from Sea Coach Express and Maritime were welcomed by the Committee, which outlined the purpose of the meeting and expressed hopes for a productive engagement. The Committee appreciated the representatives for their punctuality and attendance.
After reviewing documents provided by the Sea Coach Operation team, the Committee identified two significant concerns: improper labeling of staff names and their lack of registration with the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT).
Regarding staff names, the Labour Committee emphasized the importance of clear structuring for clarity. On the issue of NASSIT registration, the Committee urged Sea Coach Express to ensure that all staff are registered with NASSIT and obtain their NASSIT numbers promptly. Stressing the importance of NASSIT for workers’ benefits, the Committee suggested inviting NASSIT workers to facilitate the registration process.
Following deliberation, the Committee resolved to grant Sea Coach Express one month from the date of engagement to ensure all staff are fully registered with NASSIT and obtain their NASSIT numbers.
In response to the NASSIT concern, Mr. Ken Tackie, the Operation Manager of Sea Coach Express, acknowledged the oversight and assured the Committee that the issue would be resolved promptly. He confirmed that the company had been paying NASSIT for employees but pledged to ensure that benefits are reflected to staff and NASSIT numbers obtained.
Regarding operations concerning the Guinea border corridor, the Committee questioned Maritime representatives, who highlighted concerns about boat entry and exit at the Guinea border. They proposed engaging with the Immigration Department and other relevant stakeholders to ensure informed and coordinated movement through these corridors.
The Committee also raised concerns about gender imbalance within Sea Coach Express and urged the company to address this by employing more women.
As Sea Coach Express committed to resolving the raised concerns, the Committee thanked them for their cooperation and assured continued communication. The engagement concluded with anticipation of the company’s commitment to addressing the identified issues.
