Minister Amara Kallon Unveils New Loan Scheme and Housing Plan for Civil Servants

Minister Amara Kallon Unveils New Loan Scheme and Housing Plan for Civil Servants

Aiming to enhance the welfare of public servants and combating corruption, Amara Kallon, the Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs, announced a new loan scheme and housing plan for civil servants.

During a recent briefing, Minister Kallon detailed a newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a Chinese company. This agreement will facilitate housing mortgages and vehicle loans for government employees. 

Under the vehicle loan scheme, civil servants can acquire vehicles with repayment periods ranging from three to four years. The housing loan, designed to provide long-term support, will extend for twenty to thirty years.

A key component of this initiative is a monthly deduction of twenty percent from individual salaries to service these loans. Minister Kallon emphasized that newly recruited civil servants will be eligible for three to four-bedroom apartments, with the size dependent on their salary wage. He explicitly stated that this comprehensive plan is a direct effort to curb corruption within the public service.

This initiative is part of a broader reform agenda for the public service. Minister Kallon also highlighted the government's collaboration with Gaymans, an American-based IT company founded by a Sierra Leonean. 

This partnership aims to develop a secure and comprehensive digital human resource hub for the government by December. This new system will digitalize attendance tracking, recruitment processes, individual performance evaluations, promotions, and retirements, moving away from traditional paper-based methods.

Furthermore, Minister Kallon announced that a Public Service Policy Act is currently awaiting cabinet approval, a historic first for Sierra Leone. This act is designed to coordinate the entire public service sector. Following cabinet endorsement, the Ministry will engage with the Minister of Justice to finalize the legislation, with an anticipated implementation by the end of the year.

In terms of capacity building, the Minister revealed that 27 staff members, supported by the European Union, will travel to various countries for studies, while another eight will undergo training in Ghana focused on public service reform. 

Sierra Leone is also set to host a major conference on November 26, 2025, bringing together over 700 human resource professionals and experts from across Africa to discuss best practices in managing human resources within the civil service.