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The Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security has held a high-level stakeholder meeting with private recruitment agencies to strengthen compliance with Sierra Leone’s labour laws and international standards governing private employment agencies.
The meeting focused on the implementation of ILO Convention No. 181 on Private Employment Agencies and Regulations 49–60 of the Employment Regulations, 2023, which provide the legal framework for the establishment, operation and management of private recruitment agencies.
Senior Permanent Secretary Joseph Tekman Kanu said the Ministry convened stakeholders to identify compliance gaps and develop practical solutions through collaboration.
Commissioner of Labour Sinneh Bockarie said the Ministry had researched regulatory systems in other jurisdictions to inform Sierra Leone’s approach. He added that the process would allow stakeholders to review existing regulations and contribute to improvements.
Secretary-General of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, Max Conteh, welcomed the initiative and stressed the need to ensure workers recruited through private agencies receive decent work and adequate legal protection.
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary of the Sierra Leone Employers’ Federation, Albert Oju Collier, urged recruitment agencies to familiarise themselves with the Employment Act, 2023, and other relevant laws, stressing that ignorance of the law is not an excuse for non-compliance.
Representing the private recruitment sector, Edleen Elba, Managing Director of JobSearch, called for broader consultation among the Ministry, workers’ and employers’ organisations, and recruitment agencies before the licensing framework is fully implemented.
The meeting also featured a presentation by Idrissa Dumbuya, Director of Labour and Employment, who shared findings from comparative research on the regulation of private employment agencies across several African countries and highlighted international and regional best practices.
The engagement concluded with the formation of a technical working committee and the identification of key action points aimed at improving regulatory compliance, strengthening collaboration and promoting decent work within Sierra Leone’s private recruitment sector.
