Fala Ensa Ndyma
Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, Esq., as Executive Director of the Society for Democratic Initiatives (SDI), he sponsored many workshops on various aspects of human rights including but not limited to women, youth, children, media and other ancillary rights. What is more, it may surprise you to note that, most rarely, Dr. Abdulai, was involved in trade union rights activities. This innocent looking, erudite jurist was involved an an epoch making trade union legal battle.
A little before the war, together with colleagues we established the Trade Union Confederation of Sierra Leone (TUC-SL). After the war, we decided to give the TUC-SL, the status of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress (SLLC). We went to the Ministry of Labour all we were told was that there was already the SLLC.
We refused to accept our fate from the Labour ministry so we went to the Solicitor-General, who made some recommendations but still; they were short of giving us the status as the SLLC. We tried a few legal luminaries who did not refuse us out right but did not take the case. I took my colleagues to Dr. Abdulai, as a younger brother, out of frustration and as, perhaps the last resort? To my pride and consternation o my colleagues, he accepted our brief.
He won the case and as of today the TUC-SL, though not active has the status of the SLLC and all its 4 trade unions are duly registered and can do trade union activities in accordance with the Regulation of Wages and Industrial Relations Act (No. 18) of 1971.
There is so much about this not-too-innocent-as-he-looks young man but since am not writing a book about him, let me stop here for this episode.
Fala Ensa Ndyma
