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Sierra Leone’s Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Umaru Napoleon Koroma, has engaged Guinean authorities over reported delays faced by Sierra Leoneans travelling through Guinea to take up employment opportunities in Arab countries.
The engagement seeks to strengthen coordination between Sierra Leone and Guinea and ensure that Sierra Leonean workers travelling through Guinean entry points can complete immigration and cross-border procedures without unnecessary disruptions.
The discussions follow reports of Sierra Leonean prospective workers experiencing delays and other setbacks at Guinean entry points while en route to jobs abroad.
Minister Koroma stressed the importance of ensuring that workers travel through lawful channels with the required documentation and comply with established immigration and employment requirements.
He also highlighted Sierra Leone’s existing Memoranda of Understanding with several Arab countries covering the recruitment and employment of nationals. However, he warned that unregistered recruitment operators continue to expose prospective workers to fraudulent practices and exploitation.
The Minister called for stronger regulatory measures to protect Sierra Leoneans from illegal recruitment, poor working conditions and other risks associated with overseas employment.
As part of efforts to strengthen oversight, Koroma announced plans to establish a dedicated committee responsible for overseeing overseas employment and migration. The committee is expected to improve coordination and strengthen safeguards for Sierra Leoneans seeking legitimate employment opportunities abroad.
The engagement with Guinea underscored the importance of closer bilateral cooperation in managing labour migration, particularly for Sierra Leoneans who transit through Guinea before travelling to other countries for employment.
Minister Koroma reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to creating transparent and coordinated migration systems that protect workers, facilitate lawful travel and expand access to legitimate employment opportunities abroad.
