HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO THE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OFFICE

The Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) is the central personnel agency of the Sierra Leone Government charged with the responsibility of providing human resource policies and advisory services and also managing the Civil Service workforce to effectively and efficiently deliver services to the Government and people of Sierra Leone. The HRMO is an independent institution which was officially launched by H.E. the President on 7th August, 2008 after approval by Cabinet in Memorandum CP (2006)6 with policy assistance and oversight roles. Before it was renamed HRMO on the 7th August, 2008, this office was called Establishment Secretary’s Office (ESO). The former ESO emerged from what was known as the Colonial Secretary’s Office (CSO). CSO was set up after Britain declared a Crown Colony over Sierra Leone in 1808. It is the nucleus of the present day Civil Service. The Basic function of the CSO was the day-to-day administration of the newly created colonial state including but not limited to police services, personnel and basic clerical duties, public works, court administration, provision of public utilities, tax collection, etc;

After independence in 1961, the CSO was transformed and renamed Establishment Secretary’s Office and given the sole mandate for public personnel management with oversight and regulation by the Public Service Commission in accordance with Section 152 (10) of the Sierra Leone Constitution. The main reason for transforming the ESO into a modern Human Resource Management Office was to improve service delivery and to respond to emerging trends in HR Management and Public Administration. The Establishment Secretary is a constituted position within the administration of the state as provided for in Section 154 of the Sierra Leone Constitution, serving as a “first line” implementer of government policies relating to human resource management of the Sierra Leone Civil Service. As the Chief Personnel officer of the Civil Service, the ESO worked in collaboration with the Secretary to the President and Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service in the areas of policy formulation and implementation. Also, the ESO worked and continues to work with the PSC, providing technical backstopping and advice in the areas of appointment, confirmation, promotion, transfer and staff discipline in accordance with Section 152, Sub-Sections (1) & (10) of the Constitution.

Through delegated authority from the Public Service Commission, the ESO also performs the above functions for employees in Grades 1-5 in the Civil Service up to date. Other functions performed by the ESO included personnel records management, payroll integrity, interpretation of the Rules and Regulations of the service, instituting administrative inquiries, staff audit, training and recruitment, organization and methods, establishment and re-grading of posts, contract appointment, retirement of officers, etc. Early attempts to reform the Civil Service were also undertaken and led by the ESO.The mandate remains pretty much the same for HRMO but with a new outlook and strategic posture to modernize HR practice given the current global trend in transforming the HR function into a strategic business partner. The transformation is a process and cannot be completed overnight largely because there are several activities and milestones that need to be achieved in the transformation process. The HRMO continues to evolve as it redefines its relationship with traditional partners and new stakeholders in the bid to rebuild a new Civil Service.