AYV News, June 9, 2025
In a landmark move aimed at enhancing the welfare of private legal practitioners, Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay Esq., has led a high-level dialogue with the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) and the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) to chart the way forward for a dedicated social security and pension scheme for legal professionals operating outside the public sector.
The meeting, held at the Guma Building in Freetown, marked a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to bridge social protection gaps for private practitioners, many of whom lack the institutional safeguards enjoyed by their counterparts in government service.
Convening and chairing the engagement in his capacity as the titular head of the Bar, Attorney General Sesay underscored the urgency of establishing structured welfare provisions within the legal profession. “It is important to invest in initiatives that will address the welfare needs of members of the legal profession,” he stated.
A social security and pension scheme will provide immense benefits to private legal practitioners, both in the context of retirement and protection from various risks.
The initiative reflects a broader government commitment to extending social protection coverage across all sectors, particularly informal and semi-formal professions. By targeting a traditionally underserved segment of the legal community, the proposed scheme seeks to redress long-standing structural inequities.
Present at the meeting were senior representatives from NASSIT and a delegation from the SLBA, led by Madam Tuma Gento Kamara. Both institutions expressed strong support for the initiative and agreed on the need for swift, coordinated action.
A key outcome of the engagement was the Attorney General’s proposal to establish a joint technical committee composed of experts from NASSIT and the legal fraternity. The team will be tasked with designing the policy and structural framework of the pension scheme, including legal, financial, and actuarial assessments to ensure its sustainability and relevance to the needs of private practitioners.
Stakeholders welcomed the move as a timely and transformative step, signaling a shift toward a more inclusive and equitable legal ecosystem, one in which professionals can operate with greater confidence and long-term security.
Legal commentators have hailed the Attorney General’s leadership as forward-thinking, noting that professional welfare is integral to maintaining an independent, ethical, and high-performing legal sector.
In the coming weeks, the technical working group is expected to begin consultations and lay the groundwork for implementation. Attorney General Sesay has pledged to personally monitor the progress of the initiative, working closely with the SLBA and NASSIT to ensure the scheme is inclusive, accessible, and financially viable.
The proposed pension scheme is poised to become a model for other professional sectors in Sierra Leone, potentially catalysing a wave of welfare-centred reforms across the country’s workforce.
