Theme: “Building Workers’ Power for Sierra Leone’s Transformative Agenda”
Miatta Conference Hall, Freetown | 1st May 2026
Your Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio,
Ministers of Government,
Honourable Members of Parliament, Distinguished Development Partners and Representatives of International Organizations, Leaders of Employers’ Organizations, Representatives of Workers’ Unions and the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, Representatives of the Informal Economy, Digital Innovators, Women Entrepreneurs, Youth Leaders, Members of the Fourth Estate,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.
It is a great honour, and I must say, a welcome change, to welcome you all to this important gathering.
A welcome change because, for once, we are not here to debate pay raises or conditions of service, we are here to celebrate!
Today, we celebrate you, the workers of Sierra Leone.
We celebrate your resilience, your dedication and your invaluable contributions to our national development.
From the farms and markets to the ports and construction sites;
From factories and offices to the fast‑growing digital platforms that now power our modern economy.
Quite simply, if Sierra Leone works, it is because Sierra Leoneans work.
And sometimes, you work even when the system seriously tests your patience.
We salute not just your labour, we salute your endurance. And your very strong nerves.
On this historic day, we reaffirm our shared commitment to decent work, social justice and the dignity of labour.
This year’s theme, “Building Workers’ Power for Sierra Leone’s Transformative Agenda,” could not be more timely.
It reminds us that development is strongest when workers are not just participants, but partners; not just contributors, but stakeholders.
And we are honoured to have with us today our Worker‑in‑Chief, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio— a leader who has consistently placed people at the centre of policy.
Under his leadership, our Medium‑Term National Development Plan (2024–2030): the Transformative Acceleration Agenda for Food Security, Human Capital Development, and Job Creation, which places decent employment at the heart of our Big Five priorities, especially the Youth Employment Scheme aimed at creating opportunities for our young people, with strong emphasis on women’s participation.
Your Excellency, your administration has shown that development is not only about big numbers, but about real lives.
Globally, the world of work is changing at remarkable speed. Artificial intelligence, digital platforms and automation are reshaping industries faster than many of us can update our CVs— or even remember our passwords. Some of us are still locked out of our emails!
Indeed, the world of work stands at a critical crossroads.While these technologies promise productivity gains and new opportunities, they also risk displacing jobs, exacerbating inequalities and creating precarious forms of work, especially in the informal economy and platform‑based gigs.
In many parts of the world, workers face the dual pressures of economic uncertainty, climate impacts, and the urgent need for reskilling in a digital economy.
Yet history teaches us that when workers are empoweredwith strong rights, social protection and a voice in decision‑making, we build more resilient, equitable and prosperous societies.
Sierra Leone is determined to harness the opportunities of the digital age while safeguarding the rights and welfare of every worker.
Just last month, our country proudly hosted the 52nd ARLAC Governing Council Meeting and High‑Level Symposium here in Freetown.
That gathering brought together African labour leaders to discuss the future of decent work in the platform economy.
It reinforced the need for collaborative, forward‑looking policies, exactly what we are pursuing today through strengthened tripartite dialogue among government, employers and workers.
Because when we talk together, we usually argue less, and we achieve more.
Fellow citizens, under the leadership of His Excellency, our Ministry has been advancing concrete reforms to build workers’ power and create inclusive opportunities:
We have successfully increased the national minimum wage from Le800 to Le1,200, effective April 2026.
This 50 per cent adjustment, achieved through extensive consultations with employers, helps cushion the cost of living while supporting productivity and economic dignity.
And yes, those consultations were really, really extensive!
We are moving decisively towards the launch of the Informal Sector Social Security Scheme under NASSIT.
This historic initiative will extend pension and social protection coverage to traders, artisans, market women, bike riders, fishermen, and other self‑employed citizens who form the backbone of our economy.
The Bill is advancing through the necessary processes, and we are committed to its urgent rollout.
We are finalising the establishment of a national employee end‑of‑service benefits trust framework and central digital administration system, ensuring workers receive what is rightfully theirs upon separation.
No more “it will come later.” That “later will” come first.
The digitalization of the work permit process went live in January 2026, bringing greater transparency, efficiency and accountability, while reducing paperwork, which I know many of you will agree is a form of occupational hazard.
We are in the process of restoring the Machinery Testing Bay and Trade Testing Unit, enabling us to validate skills acquired through informal and prior learning, while strengthening the Factory Inspectorate Division to ensure safer workplaces.
In the coming weeks, I will present two critical Bills to Parliament: The Occupational Safety and Health Bill and the Workers’ Compensation Bill.
These will modernise workplace protections and ensure workers are properly supported when accidents or injuries occur, because no job should cost a worker their health or their future.
Together, these reforms, alongside broader efforts in skills development, women’s economic empowerment and youth job creation, demonstrate our government’s unwavering commitment to building a labour market that is fair, safe, inclusive and future‑ready.
Distinguished guests, while our government remains committed to a safe, legal and dignified migration for the purposes of work, I wish to strongly advise all Sierra Leoneans to avoid travelling to places where they will be in harm’s way. We therefore urge our nationals to contact the ministry for advice before embarking on any overseas migration journey. This is to ensure that our citizens don’t end up unwittingly contributing to any wars anywhere in the world.
Let me now turn to a few calls to action:
To our workers and unions:
Your power lies in organized, constructive engagement. Continue to advocate responsibly for better conditions, while partnering with us to boost productivity and competitiveness.
To employers:
Decent work is not a cost; it is an investment in sustainable businesses and a stable society.
I urge you to embrace these reforms, comply with the new minimum wage, invest in worker safety and training, and create more formal opportunities, especially for women and youth.
Healthy workers, after all, work better.
To our development partners, digital innovators and women entrepreneurs:
Your expertise and innovation are vital. Let us collaborate to expand opportunities in the green and digital economies, ensuring that technology creates jobs rather than simply replacing people with passwords and passwords with frustration.
To the informal economy representatives:
You are not marginal; you are central to our economy.
The informal sector scheme and skills‑validation initiatives are designed with you firmly in mind.
As we mark May Day 2026, let us renew the spirit of solidarity that has always defined the labour movement.
Let us build workers’ power not through division, but through partnership that advances Sierra Leone’s transformative agenda for food security, human capital development and inclusive prosperity.
The future of work in our country must be one of opportunity, dignity and shared growth.
Together—government, workers, employers, and partners—we will make it happen.
Long live the workers of Sierra Leone!
Long live tripartite cooperation!
Long live the Republic of Sierra Leone!
Thank you.
God bless you all.
