By: Yusuf Ibrahim Kamara (The Wise Thinker)
The Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security has intensified efforts to bring private recruitment agencies under stronger regulatory oversight, as authorities move to close compliance gaps and promote greater protection for workers across Sierra Leone’s employment sector.
The Ministry recently convened a high-level engagement with representatives of private recruitment agencies, workers’ organisations, employers’ groups and other key stakeholders to examine the legal and regulatory framework governing the operations of private employment agencies in the country.
The engagement focused particularly on the implementation of International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 181 on Private Employment Agencies, alongside Regulations 49 to 60 of the Employment Regulations, 2023, which provide the legal foundation for the establishment, licensing, operation and management of private recruitment agencies in Sierra Leone.
The meeting comes at a time when private recruitment agencies are playing an increasingly important role in connecting jobseekers with employers, both within Sierra Leone and in opportunities linked to employment outside the country. With the growth of the sector, concerns have also emerged around compliance, worker protection, licensing, transparency and the responsibilities of agencies operating within the labour market.
Senior Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, Joseph Tekman Kanu, said the engagement was necessary to create an opportunity for stakeholders to openly identify areas where existing practices may not be consistent with the laws governing employment agencies.
He stressed that bringing the relevant actors together would allow the Ministry and stakeholders to better understand the challenges affecting the sector and work collectively towards practical solutions.
According to him, where practices are found to be inconsistent with established laws and regulations, it is important for government, workers, employers and recruitment agencies to come together, examine the challenges and determine how they can be addressed through cooperation and dialogue.
The Ministry’s approach reflects a growing emphasis on consultation as it seeks to strengthen the regulatory environment without undermining the role private recruitment agencies play in facilitating access to employment.
Commissioner of Labour Sinneh Bockarie disclosed that the Ministry had undertaken comparative research into the ways private employment agencies are regulated in other countries.
He explained that the findings from those countries would help inform Sierra Leone’s own regulatory approach, particularly as the Ministry considers how existing regulations can be strengthened and effectively implemented.
The Commissioner also emphasised that the process would provide stakeholders with an opportunity to review existing provisions and contribute their perspectives before important regulatory measures are fully implemented.
For workers, the issue of regulation is closely connected to the protection of their rights and access to decent employment.
Representing the interests of workers, Sierra Leone Labour Congress Secretary-General Max Conteh welcomed the Ministry’s initiative, stressing that workers recruited through private agencies must not be left without adequate legal protection.
He noted that as recruitment agencies become more prominent within the labour market, there is a corresponding need to ensure that workers receive decent working conditions, fair treatment and the protection guaranteed under national labour laws and international standards.
Conteh maintained that effective regulation should not only focus on licensing agencies but must also ensure that workers are protected throughout the recruitment and employment process.
From the employers’ side, Sierra Leone Employers’ Federation Executive Secretary Albert Oju Collier urged private recruitment agencies to take greater responsibility for understanding the laws governing their operations.
He encouraged agencies to familiarise themselves with the Employment Act, 2023, as well as other relevant labour legislation and regulations.
Collier cautioned that lack of knowledge of the law should not be used as a justification for non-compliance. He further encouraged recruitment agencies to strengthen their engagement with employers’ organisations, workers’ representatives and government institutions to improve their understanding of their obligations.
Meanwhile, private recruitment agencies called for continued consultation before the full implementation of the licensing framework.
Speaking on behalf of the recruitment industry, JobSearch Managing Director Edleen Elba urged the Ministry to maintain broad stakeholder consultations involving government, workers’ organisations, employers’ groups and private recruitment agencies.
She argued that continued dialogue would help ensure that the licensing and regulatory framework reflects the realities of the recruitment industry while maintaining the necessary safeguards for workers.
The meeting also featured a detailed presentation by Director of Labour and Employment Idrissa Dumbuya, who outlined the Ministry’s broader strategy for regulating private recruitment agencies.
His presentation was informed by comparative research from several African countries, providing participants with an overview of different approaches to regulating private employment agencies and highlighting practices that could be adapted to the Sierra Leonean context.
The comparative approach is expected to assist the Ministry in developing a regulatory system that is consistent with international labour standards while responding to the specific needs and realities of Sierra Leone’s labour market.
Among the key issues under consideration are improved coordination between government and recruitment agencies, stronger compliance mechanisms, effective licensing procedures and greater awareness of the legal responsibilities of private employment agencies.
Stakeholders agreed that stronger regulation should ultimately contribute to a labour market where recruitment processes are transparent, accountable and fair to both employers and jobseekers.
The discussions concluded with a commitment from participants to maintain collaboration as the Ministry advances its regulatory agenda.
A technical working committee is expected to be established to support the process, with stakeholders identifying key areas requiring further attention and coordination.
The committee will provide an additional platform for government officials, workers’ representatives, employers’ organisations and recruitment industry stakeholders to examine regulatory challenges and develop practical recommendations.
The Ministry’s renewed focus on private recruitment agencies signals a broader effort to strengthen labour governance in Sierra Leone and ensure that employment intermediaries operate within clearly defined legal boundaries.
For jobseekers, stronger oversight could provide greater confidence in recruitment processes, while employers are expected to benefit from a more organised and accountable recruitment environment.
As consultations continue, stakeholders are expected to work towards a regulatory framework that balances the interests of recruitment agencies, employers and workers while ensuring that the country’s labour market remains aligned with national legislation and international standards on decent work.
The Ministry has therefore positioned continued dialogue and stakeholder cooperation as central to the process, with the ultimate objective of creating a fair, transparent, accountable and properly regulated private recruitment sector in Sierra Leone.