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The Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) has acknowledged that approximately 92,000 individuals who participated in the 2023 election process have not yet received payment. The delay in disbursing their wages is attributed to the extensive processing required for handling their large number of names and details.
The commission had come under public scrutiny after a report emerged that a number of polling staff and workers have not been paid their wages.
Sierraloaded reported how these individuals, who played essential roles during the electoral process, voiced their grievances as they continued to await their salaries.
Amara Alieu, a Presiding Officer, revealed that the ECSL had failed to fulfill their contractual obligations since the conclusion of the elections. He expressed his disappointment, saying, “More than three weeks have passed, and the ECSL has not paid our contracts signed for the past elections.”
James Tholley, a polling agent since 2022, highlighted the unprecedented delay in wage disbursement. Comparing it to previous election cycles, Tholley noted that prompt payment had been the norm. He urged the commission to address their concerns promptly and ensure swift payment, stating that in previous years, they had received their wages immediately after completing their work.
Responding to the mounting concerns in an interview with Sierraloaded, Albert Massaquoi, the Director of External Relations at ECSL, assured that all individuals who had worked for the commission during the elections would be compensated.
Massaquoi clarified that the delay was not due to a refusal to pay, but rather a matter of processing a large number of names and details.
He acknowledged that approximately 92,000 people were awaiting payment, causing a slowdown in the disbursement process. Nevertheless, Massaquoi reassured the polling staff that their wages would soon be settled.
Pay Us our money 💰 we are disappointed in you people
Ecsl is the most reckless body in our country today, They are the people distroyed our democracy today in Sierra Leone MOHAMMAD Konneh but he will pay for it soon as possible.
Try to pay us, that is all
The Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone is one of the most disrespected institutions in Sierra Leone.
Their boss (Mohamed Konneh) is a dishonest man, lacks self esteem and integrity.
Mohamed Konneh is greedy and a sell out with little or no respect for his family name.
Mohamed Konneh has made the worst blunder on earth. He will not be respected even by Maada Bio for whom he has morgage his family’s pride.
Mohamed Konneh, everybody knows that you have been paid by Maada Bio to do a dirty job for him. Now, your family is at risk.
Besides, Allah /God will not forgive you for stealing the democratic rights of the people of Sierra Leone. You stole Samura Kamara’s winning and gave it to a killer rebel man. You have no interest in the democratic development of this country but only to satisfy your greed pockets.
Shame on you ! Allah / God will punish you and your family.
Please for the sake of God Almighty pay us we this money because we suffered on that day.
God will punish Mohammed konneh and his entire families for bringing this Shamefulness and dout in to this Nation.
We are disappointed in you guys,no Sierraleoan will work for ECSL again
Please let there be a stated time. We need our money.
ECSL will definitely give clear account on the 24 June elections… that day will come sooner or later!!!
Please be a good leader and try to pay what belongs to the staff
Mohammed Konneh everyone is questioning your integrity is a big problem for your future and even your family life might be in danger
Konneh take time please and don’t forget to do payment for the polling staff
It’s very heart-rending for Mohamed konneh to treat his fellow Sierra Leonean this , but pls try pay we yh
Can you imagine an entire electoral body of a whole country cannot count and disburse payments for 92,000 staffs in three weeks, three weeks after service! Staffs who dedicated their minds, sacrificed their peace and time, take the risk to ignore the threats of all the penalties levied upon each Polling staff incase of any single mistakes either genuine mistakes or not, we risk our lives for the sake of the love we have for our country for a peaceful election as a way of contributing to the development of our nation. Nobody expected anybody to do such risks for free, the agreement was not for a free job, although we expected compensation because our efforts were unpayable but we didn’t expect you to disrespect and undervalue our efforts like this, at least a day or two or better still a week could have been understandable by us but ignoring our efforts and dedications makes me believe that most Sierra Leonean organisations especially the government related ones have no respect for human labour especially for local staffs. I’m really disappointed at ECSL and the entire Sierra Sierra as a whole. Every day is another promise as if they just wanted to dash us some tokens without working for it.
Some of us loose 1/3 of our salaries in our work places for the days absent just to work for our country, even the little amount they are delaying to pay is not even encouraging to cover the money we used on transportation for all 4 days training, the election eve verification TP and Election Day expenses, come to think of it, not even a single water that ECSL considered offering not to talk about TP’s on trainings. As for me I really needed the experience and wanted to be proud to say I did this for my country in this particular year but ECSL made me feel that working for NGO’s is better than working for our nation.
I’m so so disappointed! 😔
Please try to pay us Sir, we the people of sierra leone we are disappointed at you sir, why all this now
Try to pay to people let them forget about this money