News

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SIERRA LEONE

PUBLIC INQUIRY INTO ALLEGED GROSS VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN BUMBUNA, TONKOLILI DISTRICT IN RELATION TO THE EVENTS OF 16^TH, 17^TH AND 18^TH APRIL 2012

 [Under Section 7(2) of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Act 2004 and Rule 42 of the  Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (Complaints, Investigations and Inquiries)  Rules, 2008.]

Background

In complete violation of the provisions of the Act that set up to the National Social Security and Insurance Trust, both government and private employers owe their employees huge backlogs of their social security contributions. According to a document authenticated by NASSIT, the private employers owe the institution in excess of Le 432 Million. And this does not include penalty. See below of defaulting institutions:

A document available to Politico and authenticated by senior officials of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), who prefer anonymity, shows that Government institutions and Parastatals owe the social security scheme over Le 16 Billion.

“If you think that amount is too much,” one of them said grim-facedly, “wait until you see what private employers owe us”. (See Politico next week for detail on private employers and what they owe their staff).

By Zainab Joaque

Scores of striking workers at Africell mobile phone company have returned to work after management committed themselves to meeting all their demands, agreeing in principle that a staff union should be formed.

Although some 88 contract workers at the call centre are now full time staff with hopes to benefit from the proposed salary review early next year, no exact figure is guaranteed.

Sierra Leone today hosts the tenth Annual General Meeting of the West African Telecommunications Regulatory Assembly (WATRA) at the Miatta Conference Center in Freetown.

According to a press release from the National Telecommunications Commission, the 2-day event will bring together independent National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) and departments for regulation of telecommunications services established the sixteen countries of West Africa.

By Zainab Joaque

Christian Brothers from eight communities in Sierra Leone along with representatives from Ghana and Liberia, friends and members will gather in Freetown on Friday June 1, 2012 to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the birth of its founder, Blessed Edmund Rice.