In a landmark step towards financial empowerment and public-sector reform, more than 22,000 Civil Servants across Sierra Leone have united to establish the Republic of Sierra Leone Civil Service Cooperative Credit Union (CivSCCU). This transformative initiative is being led by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) and the Ministry of Public Administration and Political Affairs (MoPAPA).
In an exclusive interview at his Tower Hill office in Freetown, Mr. David Augustine Ked Abu, Senior Planning Officer and Head of the CivSCCU Secretariat, revealed that a stakeholder engagement held on 13th May 2025 marked a pivotal milestone in launching the ministerial consultations necessary for establishing the first-ever national Civil Service Cooperative Credit Union in the country.
Mr. Abu emphasized that this initiative is a strategic step in mobilizing Civil Servants and institutional stakeholders in alignment with the Government’s broader objectives under the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030), which prioritizes financial inclusion and social protection.
The CivSCCU seeks to leverage its extensive nationwide membership to promote a culture of savings among public sector workers, improve access to affordable finance, enhance financial literacy and mobilize resources for investment and development.
The initiative is supported technically and institutionally by several development partners including the National Cooperative Credit Union Association (NaCCUA), Irish League of Credit Union Foundation (ILCUF) Limited, SEND Sierra Leone, DSIK, and others.
The CivSCCU Secretariat has so far engaged over 28 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. If the current momentum is sustained and due process followed, member savings are expected to commence by August 2025.
Following a year of resource mobilization potentially including strategic investments in Treasury Bearer Bond the institution is projected to become fully operational by mid-2026.
The CivSCCU Board will consist of 13 members, including: 6 Permanent Members from the Office of the Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, Human Resource Management Office, Ministry of Finance (Accountant General’s Department), Ministry of Trade and Industry (Department for Cooperatives), Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
7 Elected Members from MDAs, to be selected during the Annual Delegates Meeting (ADM).
During the stakeholder engagement, participants including Ministers, Civil Servants, and development partners reached a consensus to make membership mandatory for all permanent and pensionable Civil Servants. Discussions also covered technical revisions to the draft bylaws and proposed governance and management mechanisms.
The Government, represented by the Ministers of MoPAPA and MoPED, reaffirmed its commitment to finalize the Union’s registration, pilot operations in 2025 and sustain inter-ministerial coordination to ensure CivSCCU’s long-term success.
According to Mr. Abu, the primary objectives of the recent engagements were to solicit technical inputs, build institutional consensus and finalize arrangements to operationalize the CivSCCU.
He highlighted that this initiative is more than a savings mechanism it is a bold reform agenda to professionalize the Civil Service, improve morale, and deliver results.
The Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) has committed to implementing seamless payroll deduction systems for member contributions. Development partners, including the Irish Embassy in Sierra Leone, SEND Sierra Leone, and DSIK, have pledged financial and technical support while underscoring the need for transparency, democratic governance, and member ownership.
The Department for Cooperatives, under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, has promised to fast-track the registration process and introduce quarterly compliance audits to ensure adherence to national regulations and global best practices.
Mr. Abu noted that the government is developing a transparent regulatory framework that welcomes private-sector participation while safeguarding member funds. Plans are also underway to capitalize mortgage and consumer credit windows, institutionalize governance training and financial literacy programs and facilitate South–South knowledge exchange with credit unions in Ireland and The Gambia.
Stakeholder engagement sessions have revealed a strong alignment among MDAs, with shared enthusiasm for the CivSCCU’s potential to revolutionize financial inclusion for Civil Servants and support sustainable public sector reform.
The CivSCCU is positioned not just as a financial institution, but as a transformational mechanism to enhance service delivery, improve economic resilience among Civil Servants and contribute meaningfully to Sierra Leone’s long-term development agenda.