Freetown, 14th October 2025 – The Wages and Compensation Commission (WCC) convened an engagement with the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO), the Accountant General’s Department (AGD), and staff of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) to initiate discussions on harmonizing multiple pension administration processes for individuals benefiting from more than one pension.
The meeting which was held at the WCC Conference Room, No. 19F Bath Street, Brookfields, Freetown, was attended by the Commission’s Directors, Deputy Directors, and Heads of Departments.
In his opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the WCC, Mr. David W.S. Banya, underscored the rationale behind the establishment of the Commission, noting that disparities in compensation had adversely affected workforce morale and, consequently, public service delivery.
“The Commission was established to create fairness and equity in the reward system to enhance workforce morale and, by extension, improve on national development,” Mr. Banya stated.
Highlighting the functions of the Commission, he explained that the WCC is mandated to develop and establish mechanisms for determining emoluments, remunerations, and other conditions of service, including pensions and gratuities payable to public sector employees based on their job functions. He added that the Commission also determines the modalities for retirement benefits, pensions, ex gratia payments, and awards for eligible public sector employees who have completed their term of service.
Mr. Banya further emphasized that any enactment previously governing terms and conditions of service, salary negotiations, or placement within the public sector has been repealed by the coming into effect of the WCC Act.
Providing an update on the Commission’s ongoing engagements, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Prince A.S. Bio, explained that during a recent technical meeting, the Commission identified pension issues, particularly multiple pensions drawn from the Consolidated Fund as a key concern.
“We recognized that institutions such as HRMO, AGD, and NASSIT play critical roles in managing pension matters in Sierra Leone. Therefore, WCC decided to engage them directly as part of its efforts to address this issue,” Mr. Bio said. He assured that the Commission would explore ways to advise government on resolving the matter without disadvantaging affected individuals.
Speaking during the engagement, the Assistant Accountant General, Mr. Abu Bakarr Conteh, confirmed that there are indeed individuals receiving multiple pensions based on pre-existing laws prior to the establishment of the WCC. He noted, however, that while the WCC Act repealed those laws, it did not replace them, thereby creating a legislative gap.
“If one law qualifies an individual for a pension and another also qualifies that same individual for an additional pension, we have no legal grounds to deny it,” he explained, urging the Commission to work towards enacting replacement provisions to address the issue.
Also contributing, Madam Victoria A. Mansaray, Director of Benefits at NASSIT, clarified that the Trust administers two types of pensions: retirement and survivor’s pensions.
“For instance, if a man who is a NASSIT contributor retires and later loses his spouse who was also a contributor, he becomes eligible for both a retirement pension and a survivor’s pension,” she explained.
Madam Mansaray further distinguished NASSIT pension from government pensions, noting that NASSIT operates a defined benefit social insurance scheme designed to provide partial income replacement in cases of retirement, death, or other contingencies as outlined in the NASSIT Act. Under this scheme, employees contribute 5% of their income, while their employers contribute 10%, amounting to a total contribution of 15%.
The engagement concluded with a shared commitment among participating institutions to collaborate in developing a harmonized and transparent pension framework that ensures fairness, sustainability, and compliance with the WCC Act.