The National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) has engaged political parties and civil society organisations on ‘Civil Registration, Vital Statistics and Identification Management’ at the Ministry of Internal Affairs conference room. According to NCRA Director General Mohamed Massaquoi, they have had enormous engagements with stakeholders on the above subject, which were halted by the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
He told political parties and civil society representatives that they deemed it fit to inform them on any stage of the process, which in turn will inform their followers and the general public as a whole. He urged political parties to own the process, noting that they are working on a daily basis for Sierra Leone to have a comprehensive database system.
Massaquoi said as the body in charge of such registrations they will ensure that they promote transparency and accountability in everything they do. He maintained that they have a desk in their office for people who aren’t registered, adding that the confirmation process would be done in phases.
Outlining the benefits of civil registration, the NCRA Director of Operations and Services, Abu Bakarr Javombo, said it facilitates the printing and acquisition of biometric identification cards, easy access to financial benefits, eases administrative process and ensures the development of permanent register on the population of Sierra Leone in line with NCRA Act of 2016, among others.
He said they will continue to collaborate with stakeholders associated with the development so as to make the process better and inclusive. The All People’s Congress (APC) representative, Sidi Yayah Tunis, commended NCRA for the engagements they have made over the years with stakeholders, and noted that they should now focus their engagements on the public he said who knows little about the process.
On behalf of the National Grand Coalition, Chairman Dennis Bright also applauded NCRA’s activities so far that keep them abreast of what is happening with citizen and non-citizen registrations. He said they want to help them in such a process by ensuring that the messages go around the least village in Sierra Leone.
Answering questions from the stakeholders, the Director General said they have gone far ahead in the process for national and ECOWAS identification cards.
He added that people don’t need to come to Freetown this time around to collect whatever document, as the process will be fully decentralised. He urged the stakeholders to engage their people, stressing that civil registration and vital statistics are key tools for development.