By Amin Kef Sesay
In a Press Statement dated 4th October, 2021, the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) stated that the nationwide Confirmation and Registration exercise of citizens and other residents which started on the 6th of May 2021 ended on the 3rd October, 2021.
The institution went further to inform that the data is being transmitted for new Registrants to the Central System at the NCRA Headquarters, also undertaking the uploading for those that confirmed their personal information and adjudicate to determine possible duplicates or multiple registration.
NCRA added that though the exercise has ended, the Authority noted that its Headquarter Office, Regional and Districts Offices remain open from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Mondays to Fridays for those who have either not confirmed their personal information or registered to do so and that Parents and Guardians are particularly encouraged to present their children or wards to the nearest NCRA Office or the outlets that will be announced shortly to accommodate them.
“The Authority will like to thank the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance for the continued support and for particularly funding the exercise. Other stakeholders including Civil Society Organisations i.e NEW, CARL, Prisons Watch – Sierra Leone, (SLTU), Conscience International Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Information and Communication Technology Association (SLICTA) and National Watch for Examination Malpractice (NaWEM) including the United States Embassy and the Media accredited to observe the exercise in order to ensure transparency and credibility. Institutions accredited to observe the exercise included,” the Release stated.
Similarly, the Authority says it wishes to recognise with thanks, the collaboration received from the NCD to educate the public on the relevance of the exercise as well as the APPA, individual Political Parties such as C4C, APC, SLPP and the NGC for their endorsement messages that encouraged their constituents to participate in the exercise.
It highlighted that similar endorsement messages were done by MDAs that include SLRSA,the Immigration Department, NATCOM, NASSIT, NRA, Bank of Sierra Leone and other Financial Institutions who encouraged their valued clients to participate in the exercise as well as reminding them about the ultimate use of the National Identification Number (NIN) as the primary means of identifying and validating their personal information for every transaction to be undertaken.
The Authority stated how it recognises the collaboration of the Council of Paramount Chiefs, the Inter-Religious Council, Traders Union, Drivers Union, Bike Riders Union and Keke Riders Union who in diverse ways helped to educate and mobilise their memberships to participate in the exercise.
The institution says that are particularly grateful to the National Electoral Commission (NEC) for their collaboration and monitoring of the entire exercise; a measure that assured the NEC like other MDAs that the NCRA has considered their interest in the development of the Multipurpose Permanent Civil Register.
Also contained is that the contribution of the Sierra Leone Police in ensuring the maintenance of order and decorum are worthy to recognise as well as the Sierra Leone Armed Forces for their support to access very hard to reach communities.
The NCRA also maintained that the contribution of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in monitoring the payment of allowances to Contract Staff to ensure transparency as well as the Rokel Commercial Bank for the use of their SIM Korpor facility to pay the allowances of Contract Staff in the Western Area are no less commendable.
The Authority also thanked the Foreign Missions in Serra Leone who encouraged their nationals to participate in the Confirmation and Registration exercise. “Their participation was made possible with the collaboration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation,” the institution revealed.
The NCRA said it will continue to count on the cooperation of the general public and to reassure the Government of Sierra Leone, Development Partners and the entire public that it will protect the investment made in the development of the Multi-purpose Permanent Civil Register consistent with international standards and the United Nations Guidelines on Civil Registration, Vital Statistics and Identity Management to suit the ultimate purpose for which the NCRA was established to provide among other credible and reliable information on the population of Sierra Leone that saves cost and assures accountable governance and service delivery through a well-functioning Civil Registration System that is continuous, compulsory, universal and permanent that accounts for everyone and leaves no one behind.
