April 14, 2021
BY Mohamed M. Sesay
After several consultations with registered political parties, Civil Society Organizations and other relevant stakeholders regarding the forthcoming nationwide confirmation of personal details of citizens and non-citizens and to register the unregistered population in the country, the Director General of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) Mohamed M Massaquoi has yesterday informed journalists that registered political parties and Civil society Organizations are now very pleased with the planned process starting 6th of May through 28th of July 2021.
As part of measures in responding to initial concerns and recommendations from political parties and Civil Society organizations to ensure adequate publicity, and add to Centers and period of Confirmation and Registration exercise, Mohamed Massaquoi further intimated that, NCRA has made provision as earlier stated to allow organizations and institutions that wish to observe the exercise to do so without hindrance.
This is in keeping with transparency and credibility of the process. He therefore added that, accreditation will be given to such institutions and organizations with interest to observe the exercise.
The Director General also assured the general public that the exercise will enhance the acquisition of multi-purpose National and ECOWAS Identification Cards that will be used to facilitate personal transactions, movements and identification of people as well as provide valid or authentic/ updated information on the identity and status of all residents in the country.
He said the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) has equally updated stakeholders on the preparations leading to such a crucial national exercise approved by the Government of Sierra Leone in the development of a Permanent Civil Register consistent with the NCR Act, 2016.
Stakeholders updated include registered Political Parties, PPRC, Civil Society Organizations, NASSIT, NRA, Immigration Department, Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Statistics Sierra Leone, SLRSA, NEC, Bank of Sierra Leone, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Accountant General’s Department/ Ministry of Finance among others.
NCRA is saying that those stakeholders mapped out are all beneficiaries of the Civil Register that contains data on the population of Sierra Leone intended by law to inform public administration and service delivery.
Massaquoi revealed that the Government of Sierra Leone has provided support to increase the number of days to the period earlier scheduled for the Confirmation and Registration exercise i.e. from 8 days to 10 days. He also informed that 345 Centers have been added to the initial 1,655 Confirmation and Registration Centers bringing the number of Centers to 2,000.
He added that, the Confirmation and Registration Centers have been mapped, updated and designated covering all 2,000 Centers for the exercise across the country. In addition to the 2,000 Centers and days, Mohamed Massaquoi also stated that provision has been made for Roaming Teams to cover hard-to-reach areas in the communities during the period of the exercise to ease the burden of movement on the population.
He therefore, encouraged the general public to cooperate with the National Civil Registration Authority in the development of the Permanent Civil Register which shall be the primary source of data on the population of Sierra Leone as stipulated in Sections 41 (1) of the NCR Act of 2016.
“We implore you to continue to demonstrate your support for the CRVS and ID Management programme especially in the implementation of this very important national exercise in consideration of the immense value and benefits of the final product i.e. the Permanent Civil Register that will serve multiple purpose including but not limited to provision of reliable and credible data on the population of Sierra Leone to guide health interventions, education, tax administration, Social Security benefits, development planning, national security, immigration services among many others,” he appealed.
