AYV News, July 1, 2026
Head of Marketing and Visibility at Constrat System in the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security,Yeama Thompson has disclosed that compliance with theUnified Resident and Work Permit System has improved significantly since the company assumed management of the system on 1st January 2026.
She reported that between January and 31 May 2026, a total of 3,816 resident permits and 1,035 work permits had been processed.
“These figures clearly demonstrate that consistent enforcement significantly increases compliance and enhances government revenue,” Thompson said.
The ministry said it has intensified its nationwide enforcement campaign by securing the support of the Sierra Leone Police to strengthen compliance with the Unified Resident and Work Permit system and the country’s labour laws in the North-East Region.
The engagement forms part of the Ministry’s broader strategy to improve labour law enforcement, protect workers’ rights, regulate foreign labour, and promote decent work across Sierra Leone.
Addressing officers of the North-East Regional Police Command, the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Hon. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, emphasised that effective enforcement of labour laws requires close collaboration among government institutions, particularly the country’s security agencies.
“The enormity of the challenge demands the support of every institution and every sector, including our security agencies,” the Minister said.
He noted that one of President Dr. Julius Maada Bio’s flagship priorities is job creation and ensuring that Sierra Leoneans benefit from decent employment opportunities.
“We cannot remain seated in air-conditioned offices in Freetown and expect to understand the realities on the ground. That is why we have taken this engagement across the country,” he stated.
The Minister highlighted reforms undertaken within the Ministry to improve service delivery, revealing that more than 150 new staff members have been recruited and deployed nationwide after years of limited recruitment caused by retirements and staffing shortages.
According to him, strengthening institutional capacity is essential to ensuring effective monitoring and enforcement of labour regulations.
Hon. Swaray also underscored the importance of the Government’s recent public-private partnership aimed at strengthening enforcement of the Unified Resident and Work Permit system.
“When President Bio appointed me in 2023, he tasked me with stabilising the Ministry of Labour. Recently, Government entered into what is arguably one of the most significant public-private partnership agreements since independence to strengthen resident and work permit compliance,” he said.
Commissioner of Labour, Sinneh Bockarie, reminded employers that the Ministry’s mandate extends beyond the issuance of resident and work permits to regulating employer-employee relations and ensuring compliance with labour standards.
He said employers are legally required to provide written contracts of employment and submit them to the Ministry for vetting and attestation.
“Many employers continue to engage workers without formal contracts, creating unnecessary disputes whenever employment relationships break down. We are determined to change that practice,” he said.
Bockarie further noted that the Ministry is enforcing compliance with the newly approved national minimum wage of Le1,200, safeguarding workers’ rights to join trade unions of their choice, and regulating labour migration in accordance with national legislation.
Responding on behalf of the Sierra Leone Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police and North-East Regional Commander, Mrs. Elizabeth Kaintor Dukuray, assured the Ministry of the Police’s full cooperation in enforcing labour laws.
“Whatever assistance we can provide, we are fully committed. You can count on our support at any time as we work together to build a better Sierra Leone,” she said.
The Ministry said the engagement is part of an ongoing nationwide compliance campaign designed to strengthen enforcement of labour laws, improve regulation of foreign workers, enhance national security, increase government revenue through improved permit compliance, and promote decent work throughout the country.
Officials expressed confidence that the strengthened partnership between the Ministry and the Sierra Leone Police will significantly improve compliance with labour regulations while fostering a fair, transparent, and accountable labour environment.
