The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has begun the national popularization of the National Labour Migration Policy and the Overseas Employment and Migration Act, 2019 in Kailahun, Kenema, Pujehun and other parts of the country. The National Labour Migration Policy of the Republic of Sierra Leone is a 35-page document sponsored by the European Union in collaboration with the Government of Sierra Leone. The report contains five chapters; the National Labour Migration Policy Implementation Plan, Institutional Arrangement and Implementation Framework, Protection and Empowerment of Migrant Workers and their families, intervention areas in the field of Labour Migration, Strategic Policy Objectives and Guiding Principles among other things. The Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security, Lansana Mohamed Dumbuya said that thousands of Sierra Leoneans have been used to travelling to other countries to seek employment but when they go to do these works, we are missing opportunities because they were not following the due process. Dumbuya furthered that the said policies were real steps that should make when Sierra Leoneans arrive in other countries they would be safe and their rights will not be abused or face slavery, intimidation and abuse when it comes to wage payments. “This is why we have formulated this policy to look at social protection, rights – in which everyone’s rights must be guaranteed with social protection either as migrants or emigrants”.
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On the proposed Overseas Employment and Migration Act, 2019, Dumbuya said, “We have said we will not only have a policy but a law (Overseas Employment and Migration Act, 2019) – a law that has been drafted and now has been tabled in Parliament for enactment.” “Parliament is looking at it so that at the end of the day the bottom line of the law and policy is that we want to curb irregular migration.” Mary I. Senessie, a social worker/Coordinator Child Protection Unit SNAF and a participant in one of the engagements said, “We are seeing people making perilous journeys that sometimes claim their lives but as young people, let us not be desperate – we can be in Sierra Leone and still make it up or else let follow the processes as being popularized to us.” The popularization exercise continues in Pujehun, Bo, Moyamba, Kono, Falaba, Karene, Makeni, Kambia and the Western Areas, according to Lansana Sesay Information Officer Ministry of Labour.
By Abdulai Gbla
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