By Alvin Lansana Kargbo

The National Social Security and Insurance Trust held its annual Employers Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Thursday 11 December 2025 at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Aberdeen, recognizing institutions that have consistently met their statutory obligations and contributed to strengthening social protection for workers across Sierra Leone.

The event brought together senior Government officials, employers and key stakeholders to review progress made in the administration of social security while reinforcing the importance of compliance with the NASSIT Act. It also served as a platform to acknowledge employers whose commitment to timely registration and remittance of contributions continues to safeguard the welfare of employees and their families.

Chairman of the Sierra Leone Employers Federation, Kobi Walker, who chaired the ceremony, said the occasion went beyond the presentation of awards and reflected a national commitment to dignity, fairness and shared responsibility in the world of work. He described compliant employers as critical partners in national development, noting that social security compliance strengthens workforce stability and promotes long term economic growth.

Kobi Walker emphasized that social security should be viewed as an investment rather than a burden, stressing that employers who protect their workers also enhance productivity, morale and industrial harmony. He urged closer collaboration between employers and NASSIT, particularly through the use of technology and system modernization, to make compliance more efficient and transparent. He congratulated the award recipients, describing their recognition as a mark of integrity, leadership and patriotism that others should emulate.

Director General of NASSIT, Mohamed Fuaad Dabor, opened his address by paying tribute to the late Professor Lawrence Aruna Joseph Kamara, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, who died earlier in the week. He described Professor Lawrence Aruna Joseph Kamara as a pillar of the institution whose leadership helped shape NASSIT through key reform and consolidation periods, leaving a legacy that continues to benefit workers nationwide.

Mohamed Fuaad Dabor said the annual dinner reaffirmed a collective commitment to building a Sierra Leone where every worker is protected and valued. Reviewing developments in 2025, he described the year as transformative, highlighting progress on the Informal Sector Social Security Expansion Initiative. He praised the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security for providing the leadership that moved the initiative from discussion to concrete action, including Cabinet approval and the commencement of legislative drafting based on actuarial guidance from the International Labour Organization.

He also raised concerns about noncompliance, particularly among institutions employing foreign workers, stressing that the NASSIT Act of 2001 applies to all workers in Sierra Leone without distinction. He warned that failure to comply undermines families and weakens communities, while commending employers who consistently uphold their obligations. He urged all employers to turn future challenges into opportunities so that social protection becomes a guaranteed right rather than a privilege.

In his keynote address, the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, said Government remains committed to expanding access to social security services through infrastructure development and policy reform. He praised the modern facility at Victoria Park inaugurated by the President saying it would help accommodate thousands of traders and ease street trading in the central business district. He also disclosed that the first fully constructed NASSIT district office in Weama would soon be inaugurated, reducing the need for residents of surrounding communities to travel long distances for services, with a regional office complex in Port Loko expected to follow.

The Minister acknowledged both achievements and challenges within NASSIT, citing progress in registration, coverage expansion and benefits payments, alongside difficulties related to compliance and investments. He assured stakeholders that those challenges were being addressed to ensure the long term sustainability of the scheme. Mohamed Rahman Swaray  reminded employers that the law requires institutions to register employees and remit monthly contributions on time, noting that late payments attract penalties.

He explained that the annual banquet and awards ceremony forms part of NASSIT broader compliance and public education strategy aimed at improving understanding of the scheme and increasing adherence to its provisions. He congratulated institutions selected for awards and cautioned noncompliant employers that enforcement mechanisms, including the Social Security Court, were in place to ensure compliance with the law.

Awards were presented to deserving institutions whose consistent adherence to NASSIT regulations, timely remittance of contributions and commitment to employee welfare distinguished them as models of responsible corporate citizenship. Their recognition highlighted the positive impact of compliance on worker security, institutional credibility and national development.

The ceremony concluded with renewed calls for stronger collaboration between Government, employers and NASSIT to deepen coverage, improve compliance and guarantee that every worker in Sierra Leone enjoys protection, security and dignity in employment and retirement. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/nassit-honours-compliant-employers-at-annual-banquet-and-awards-ceremony-in-freetown/