Tuesday 11th March 2025
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
By: Zacharia Jalloh, Strategic Communications Unit, Ministry of Information and Civic Education
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education Weekly Press Conference on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, providing key updates on public service reforms, digital transformation initiatives, and the revised Civil Service Code. Host, Deputy Minister Bockarie Abdel-Aziz Bawoh emphasized the role of the press conferences in fostering transparency and informed public discourse. Notable announcements included a strategic roadmap for public service reform, the introduction of a digital HR Hub, and enhanced policies to promote gender equality and whistle-blower protections in the civil service. The following are the key highlights:
Deputy Minister Emphasizes Importance of Weekly Press Conferences
The Deputy Minister of Information and Civic Education, Bockarie Abdel-Aziz Bawoh, highlighted the significance of the Weekly Government Press Conference in ensuring the delivery of accurate and timely information to the people of Sierra Leone. He commended journalists and bloggers for their consistent attendance and acknowledged their role in bridging the information gap between the government and citizens. He also recognized the Bai Bureh Service Delivery Award, recently bestowed on Minister Chernor Bah, as a testament to the Ministry’s continued efforts in enhancing transparency and communication.
Public Administration Ministry Unveils Strategic Roadmap for Public Service Reforms
The Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, Amara Kallon, announced that his Ministry has developed a strategic roadmap to guide public service reforms. This roadmap was formulated following an international conference involving countries such as Kenya, Egypt, South Africa, and Ghana, which have successfully implemented public sector reforms. Minister Kallon emphasized that the primary objective of these reforms is to improve the mindset and behavioral patterns in the public service, guided by the Civil Service Code of Conduct.
He outlined the eight pillars of the National Transformative Strategy, which aim to create a public service that is responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people. These pillars include Institutional Restructuring, Human Resource Management, Capacity Building, E-Governance for enhanced service delivery, Media Relations, Gender and Social Inclusion, Pay and Incentives. An institutional assessment has already been conducted on HRMO, PSC, PSRU, and the Ministry to evaluate their capacity to implement these reforms. UNDP and other institutions are expected to provide support in strengthening these institutions.
Government Introduces Digital HR Hub for Public Service Management
Minister Kallon also announced the development of a prototype digital system, the Government of Sierra Leone HR Hub, aimed at digitizing recruitment, payroll, attendance, and other human resource management services. He confirmed that the Ministry is in the final stages of contracting a company to establish the HR Hub, which will subsequently be handed over to the Human Resource Management Office.
Revised Civil Service Code and Rules 2024 Approved
The Director General of the Human Resource Management Office, Ansu Tucker, provided an overview of the key factors that led to the reform of the Civil Service Code and Rules of 2011, resulting in the revised 2024 version. He noted that the Civil Service Code is meant to be updated every five years but had not been revised since 2011 due to pressing national emergencies. Since 2018, under President Dr. Julius Maada Bio’s leadership, significant political reforms and legislations have necessitated an update to the Civil Service Code to align with contemporary trends.
Among the key reasons for the review were the National Policy of the New Direction, which called for a review in 2023, the Medium-Term Development Plan (2019-2023), and the Medium-Term Development Plan (2024-2030), which prioritizes the restructuring of the public service architecture as part of the Big Five Game Changers. Additionally, recent legislative enactments, including the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act, Wages and Compensation Commission Act, Employment and Finance Acts, and emerging concerns such as disability rights, occupational health and safety, whistle-blowing, and conflict of interest, further reinforced the need for a review. The revised Civil Service Code was rigorously scrutinized by a Cabinet subcommittee before its approval on 18th December 2025.
Key Reforms in the 2024 Civil Service Code
Ansu Tucker highlighted several critical reforms included in the revised Civil Service Code and Rules. One of the major additions is the inclusion of whistle-blowing provisions, allowing civil servants and the public to report wrongdoing while being protected from victimization. Whistle-blowers can disclose information openly or anonymously, with the administrative head or Director General responsible for investigating such disclosures. However, safeguards are in place to penalize whistle-blowers who act in bad faith.
The revised code also strongly prohibits gender-based violence in any form and fosters a working environment that promotes equality, equity, and dignity for all. Gender discrimination is strictly prohibited, and recruitment policies are designed to ensure equal opportunities for both men and women. Additionally, the new code upholds the rights of persons with disabilities by ensuring non-discriminatory recruitment practices, provided candidates possess the necessary skills and qualifications.
Civil servants and the public are encouraged to access and familiarize themselves with the Civil Service Code and Rules 2024, which can be found online at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education’s website: www.moice.gov.sl.
Enhanced Protections and Opportunities for Women in the Civil Service
The Deputy Director of Recruitment and Selection at HRMO, Mrs. Deema Kpalayieh, praised the revised Civil Service Code and Rules 2024 for its inclusion of policies that prioritize the welfare of women. She expressed gratitude to the drafters for ensuring that women’s voices were heard in the reform process.
She highlighted that an entire chapter (Chapter 14) is dedicated to achieving a 30% or more quota for women in the civil service. The Code mandates female representation on interview and selection panels and other decision-making bodies within the service. Additionally, provisions such as 14 weeks of maternity leave, sexual harassment prevention mechanisms, and a redress system have been established to protect women’s rights.
Mrs. Kpalayieh emphasized that women are essential partners in national development, and no nation can truly thrive without their full participation in governance and public service.
