On Wednesday, October 29, 2024, the management of Bintumani Hotel hosted a meeting with the Ministry of Labor, representatives from the Hotel Workers Union, and the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) at the hotel in Aberdeen, Freetown. This gathering aimed to address NASSIT-related concerns raised by staff.
Deputy General Manager Dunstana Thompson emphasized the hotel’s commitment to transparency and fairness, highlighting that they involved all relevant parties, including the media, to ensure an open discussion. She clarified that while the hotel fulfills its obligation to pay NASSIT contributions monthly, employees are responsible for obtaining their NASSIT ID cards from the NASSIT office. During a prior meeting, employees were advised to visit the office to update their NASSIT status.
Thompson added that the Ministry of Labor and the hotel’s legal team are finalizing the redundancy list, underscoring the hotel’s dedication to prioritizing and treating staff fairly.
Abie S. Dauda, Inspector for NASSIT’s Freetown West branch, explained to the staff that NASSIT contributions remain in a suspense account under the hotel’s name until employees complete NASSIT’s necessary criteria, at which point they receive a NASSIT number and ID card. She noted that forms were distributed to employees in a previous meeting, but attendance was low. She reminded employees of the required documentation, including a birth certificate, national or voter ID, and, if applicable, a marriage certificate.
Dauda also addressed a concern raised by an employee regarding inconsistencies in his NASSIT payments. She explained that errors often occur due to misspellings but assured that once corrected, funds are transferred from the suspense account to the individual’s NASSIT account.
Deputy Secretary General of the Hotel Workers Union, Fadi Wright, confirmed that previous meetings covered similar issues, and the union had completed calculations for the 70 employees on the redundancy list. These calculations have since been submitted to the Ministry of Labor. Wright encouraged employees to voice any further concerns, stressing that all entitlements are based on their basic salaries.
Alpha Kamara, Senior Inspector at the Ministry of Labor, affirmed that the ministry has received the union’s calculations and is committed to resolving the matter. He urged employees to remain patient as the ministry continues its efforts to address the issue comprehensively.
