Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, joined workers, employers, and development partners on Friday at the National Labour Conference held at the Miatta Civic Centre to mark International Workers’ Day.
Speaking on behalf of President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the Vice President described himself as “a very dedicated worker of this great republic” and extended the President’s greetings to labour leaders and employers.
Dr. Jalloh assured workers that their concerns are being heard and addressed. He backed calls for stronger dialogue on labour laws and promised government support for key recommendations.
“We are going to protect the minimum wage,” he said, while acknowledging concerns over living costs. He stressed that “the big challenge today is limited household income,” noting that government efforts to stabilise prices and subsidise essentials aim to ease the burden on ordinary Sierra Leoneans.
The Vice President described workers as central to national progress and called for stronger collaboration among all stakeholders. “Workers are not mere beneficiaries of development, they are its architects and its engine,” he said. He concluded: “Your labour builds our nation, and your power will drive our transformation.”
Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swarray, celebrated Sierra Leonean workers, describing May Day as a moment of recognition rather than negotiation. “Today, we celebrate you, the workforce,” he said. Adding: “If Sierra Leone works, it is because Sierra Leoneans are working,” he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to decent work, improved wages, and expanded social protection.
Kobie Walker of the Sierra Leone Employers Federation called for balance between workers’ welfare and business sustainability, noting that “no nation can transform successfully without productive enterprises, protected workers and strong social dialogue.” He warned that “if employers collapse, jobs disappear,” adding that “workers’ power and employers’ stability are mutually reinforcing pillars of national development.”
Credit: Aminata Turay
