BY ADAMA CONTEH
232NEWS, FREETOWN —
The Director General for the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, has maintained that NASSIT is a national property owned by the people of Sierra Leone.
DG Daboh was addressing journalists during the weekly press briefing organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on Tuesday 17th October, 2023 held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Director Daboh informed journalists that NASSIT is a Social Insurance Scheme that was created by the government and has been in existence for more than 20 years.
“Our basic responsibility in this country is to provide social security and also provide for retirement and other benefits, and to achieve such mandate, we are going to register workers and their employers in our data system” he stated.
He emphasized that, once one has been registered into their system, that they expect you to pay your NASSIT bill which your employer will have to deduct from your salary. The workers are expected to pay 5% and their employers pay the 10% which makes it in total of 15% according to the law of Sierra Leone. “With these payment in our system, it will be an easy job to pay retired members or the right person of a deceased member” he explained.
He furthered spoke about the social security court which is on every Saturday that deals with partners who fail to pay their contribution and also comply with NASSIT requirements. He continued that they have prosecuted 500 cases and they have only lost 2 cases.
DG Daboh called on all Sierra Leoneans to join hands with NASSIT to make things run smoothly. So he urge all employers to pay NASSIT for their employees. He announced to the public that they can pay their NASSIT bill even when they are home.
The Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray said that the level of unemployment in Sierra Leone has been described as a “Ticking bomb” by President Bio.
Minister Swaray continued that President Bio has prioritized job creation as one of his “BIG FIVE” manifesto. He explained that the president is targeting 500,000 job creation by the end of 2028.
The Managing Director of Elba Group, Edleen B. Elba also spoke about the role of the private sector in creating jobs. She disclosed that the private sector is using technology and innovation to create jobs for people. She pledged their full support to the government through Corporate Tax, and that they will ensure the practice of fair labour.
