Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has cautioned citizens to respect law and obey. The Vice President stated that if citizens operate within the confines of the law, they need not worry. He explained that the responsibility of government is to ensure that citizens are provided with the requisite socio-economic and health provisions as required by law for the benefit of all law-abiding citizens.
He maintained that Government is determined to instil discipline into public life. Vice President Juldeh Jalloh made the statement in response to the statement made by President of Sierra Leone Labour Congress, Jennings Wright, saying: ‘Sierra Leone is presently in turmoil.’
“There is no turmoil in Sierra Leone. I totally disagree. The fact is that the SLPP (Sierra Leone People’s Party) won the election and is ruling, and Government is implementing policies” he said.
He informed the gathering about the huge strides made by the Bio administration since it assumed office, citing achievements like approving new schools and teachers, among others.
He articulated the recruitment process of nurses and the prioritization of pin codes for nurses in the government health sector. Dr. Jalloh clarified the government’s decision to disengage and not interfere into the affairs of the Labour Union and university administrations. He made it clear that Government will continue to oversee institutions in the country despite the progressive disengagement. He stated that the responsibility for institutions to function well in the country lies in the hands of Government.
Vice President Jalloh assured labour workers of Government’s willingness to give liberty to the Labour Union and other institutions to operate at liberty as well as provide the necessary support required for institutions to work better, and admonished the Labour Union and other institutions to be law-abiding.
Dr. Jalloh said that the International Workers Day is designed to celebrate the hard work of the labour force in the world. The day, the Vice President stated is celebrated to remember with equal pride and reverence, the selfless labour and indefatigable contributions of compatriot workers in the country and across the world. He referred to the labour force as a critical force to nation building, stating that a modern state cannot function adequately without a viable workforce. He maintained that it is incumbent on government to provide the environment that favours the emergence and sustenance of a viable labour force.
Dr. Jalloh informed the listeners about the Government respond to the needs of the work force over the last one year by increasing salaries of junior workers and the public sector from 5% in July from the revised 2018 budget to 10% in November from the 2019 budget which have taken effect. He encouraged the Labour Union and the labour force to form a viable partnership with Government, and work in unity for the purpose of moving the country forward. The International Labour Day celebration was organized at the forecourt of Miatta Conference Centre, Brookfields in Freetown on May 1, 2019 on the theme “Uniting Workers for Social and Economic Empowerment.”
