By Zachariah Jalloh, Ministry of Information and Civic Education
Freetown, Sierra Leone, May 1, 2025- His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has directed the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security to initiate negotiations for a new national minimum wage. The announcement was made during the just-concluded National Labour Conference, held at the Miatta Conference Centre in Freetown on May 1st, 2025, as part of Sierra Leone’s commemoration of International Workers’ Day.
Addressing stakeholders and dignitaries at the conference, President Bio emphasized the intrinsic link between the dignity of labour and access to quality education, healthcare, and sustainable livelihoods. He praised Sierra Leonean workers for their resilience in the face of economic and social challenges.
“It is in recognition of these realities that I have directed the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security to commence negotiations for a new minimum wage, not as a political gesture, but as a fundamental step toward ensuring that every worker can live with dignity,” the President declared.
President Bio also underscored the vital role of the informal sector in the national economy. He acknowledged that a large portion of the working population earns their livelihood through informal employment.
“My government is accelerating efforts to integrate the informal economy into the formal sector, ensuring protection and opportunity for those who have long operated in the shadows,” he said. “We are prioritizing the extension of national social security coverage to include informal sector workers, thereby offering millions of Sierra Leoneans access to critical social safety nets.”
Looking ahead, President Bio envisioned a future of work in Sierra Leone where labour is respected and rewarded, innovation drives inclusive growth, and every worker’s contribution is recognized as essential to the nation’s progress.
“We are building a nation where the dignity of work is a source of national pride. I call on all citizens to join us in realizing this vision of a fairer, more inclusive Sierra Leone,” he concluded.
