Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh has announced plans to carry out unannounced visits to government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) next week to enforce punctuality and professionalism in the public sector.

In a Facebook post, Sengeh stated, “Each day next week, I will pay a surprise visit to a couple of ministries, departments, and agencies. Together #WeWillDeliver.” The move aims to strengthen accountability and responsibility among civil servants amid ongoing concerns over absenteeism and lax work ethics.

This is not the first time the Chief Minister has taken such action. On August 30, 2023, Sengeh conducted a surprise inspection at the Youyi Building in Freetown, which houses multiple ministries. During the visit, he found numerous employees absent or arriving late.

“Accountability starts with you; if you’re getting paid from public funds, ensure you’re doing the work you’re paid to do,” Sengeh emphasized.

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Following that visit, over 155 public servants across various ministries were issued query letters on September 4 for being absent without justification. The Ministry of Agriculture had the highest number of absentees (111), followed by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning (14), the Ministry of Health (9), and the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (7).

However, some offices, including the Audit Service Sierra Leone and the National Commission for Democracy, had full attendance during the checks.

Sengeh expressed concern over lost productivity, estimating that “we probably lose 500 man hours (being conservative) in the public sector per day from people just not showing up, showing up late, or leaving early.”

While some citizens have criticized the negligence in key ministries, others have applauded the Chief Minister’s efforts and urged him to expand inspections to other MDAs. The upcoming visits are part of a broader push to improve service delivery and ensure public servants remain committed to their duties.