New Year’s Day in Sierra Leone
New Year’s Day is listed as a public holiday in Sierra Leone and falls on January 1. The published Public Holidays Ordinance names it among the country’s holidays and sets out which public services are covered and what happens when it falls on a Sunday.[1][2]
Legal status and observed day
Sierra Leone’s Public Holidays Ordinance, Chapter 58, lists New Year’s Day in its schedule. It says scheduled holidays are kept in public offices and banks. It also provides that when a scheduled holiday falls on Sunday, the next day that is not itself a public holiday is kept in its place.[1]
The ordinance does not promise that every worker has the day off. It says people cannot be compelled on a public holiday to perform an act they would not be compelled to perform on Sunday. It also allows a government department head to require staff to work when public service or convenience calls for it. Courts do not begin a sitting on a public holiday.[1]
A holiday with a recorded history
The published ordinance is dated December 28, 1932, and says it applied to the Colony and Protectorate. Its schedule already includes New Year’s Day. This records the holiday’s place in Sierra Leone’s formal calendar during the colonial period.[1]
The International Trade Administration’s country guide also includes New Year’s Day in its list of local holidays for Sierra Leone. The legal listing and the guide establish its civic status.[1][2]
What to expect
Public offices and banks are the institutions specifically named in the ordinance, so visitors should expect these services to be affected. The law does not say that all shops, private businesses or schools must close, and opening hours may differ by provider. Check with a particular business or service before making a visit.[1]
Travellers should check transport availability with operators and avoid assuming that services will follow an ordinary weekday timetable. The law permits some government department work on the holiday where needed.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Is New Year’s Day a public holiday in Sierra Leone?
When is New Year’s Day observed?
Are banks and government offices open?
The ordinance names public offices and banks as institutions that keep scheduled public holidays. Some government department staff may still be required to work where public service or convenience calls for it.[1]
Will shops and public transport operate?
Check with individual businesses and transport operators before travelling.
Sources and references
Sources used for New Year's Day in Sierra Leone:
- Public Holidays [Cap. 58]- Sierra Leone Web (hosting the text of Sierra Leone legislation)
- Sierra Leone - Business Travel- International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce