Sierra Leone: Government has fulfilled its commitment to the Academic Staff Associations of Tertiary Educational Institutions by paying the agreed 50% salary increment it agreed with them in February 2021.
The said commitment was to take effect in April 2021, this according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance will increase the wage bill by an additional payroll cost of about Le4.5 billion monthly; resulting to a projected annual cost of Le55 billion.
Furthermore, the Ministry has also paid Le25 billion, as Government subvention support to Tertiary Educational Institutions for Quarter 1, 2021 to meet their day-to-day operational costs. Total subvention and salary (Le58,372,000,000) paid for Quarter 1, 2021 amounted to Le83 billion (Le83,372,000,000).
However, since 2018 to Quarter 1, 2021, the Government has paid Le401 billion (Le401,561,694,192) to these institutions. These institutions include University of Sierra Leone (FBC, IPAM and COMAHS), Njala University, Milton Margai College, Ernest Bal Koroma University, Bonthe Technical Institute, Eastern Polytechnique, Freetown Teachers College and Government Technical Institute.
The Ministry explained further that, as a result of Government taking over the payment of salaries, core allowances, and annual leave allowances of staff of Tertiary Educational Institutions from July 2019, the annual Subvention has therefore been gradually reduced, given that these Institutions collect and retain in full other sources of revenues, including Tuition Fees.
Total salary paid so far from July 2019 to April 2021 is Le309,873,965,334. This brings total Government expenditure to Tertiary Educational Institutions from 2018 to Quarter 1 of 2021 to Le711,435,659,526.
ZIJ/07/05/2021