The Director General of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi, has commended the Council of Tribal Heads for its invaluable contribution to Sierra Leone’s remarkable progress in civil registration, describing the institution as a key partner in expanding access to identity services and strengthening national development.
Speaking during a high-level consultative meeting held on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, at the NCRA Headquarters in Freetown, Director General Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi welcomed the Executive of the Council of Tribal Heads and reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to working closely with traditional leaders to ensure that every citizen is properly documented through an efficient and inclusive civil registration system.
The meeting brought together senior officials of the NCRA and representatives of the Council of Tribal Heads in the Western Area to discuss strategies for improving access to National Identification Numbers (NINs) and other civil registration services, including the registration of births, deaths, marriages, divorces and other vital events. Discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between Government institutions and traditional authorities to ensure that civil registration services reach communities across the country.
Addressing the gathering, Director General Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi praised the Council for its exceptional role during the 2021 national confirmation exercise, noting that the active mobilization of communities by tribal heads significantly contributed to the credibility and success of the exercise.
He explained that the confidence and trust enjoyed by traditional leaders within their respective communities enabled thousands of citizens to participate in the registration process, thereby strengthening the integrity of the national database. According to him, the partnership between the NCRA and traditional authorities has been one of the defining factors behind Sierra Leone’s achievement of recording more than 90 percent of its population in the civil registration database.
The Director General emphasized that such progress would have been difficult to achieve without the dedication, influence and grassroots leadership demonstrated by tribal heads across the country. He described the achievement as a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s journey towards establishing a comprehensive and reliable national identity management system capable of supporting governance, planning and socio-economic development.
During the meeting, Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi also reminded members of the Council of their statutory responsibilities under Sierra Leone’s civil registration laws. He stressed the importance of ensuring that all vital events, including births, deaths, marriages and other legally recognized life events are promptly registered to maintain accurate national records.
He further updated the traditional leaders on the ongoing nationwide rollout of the National Identification Number, explaining that the NIN has become the country’s primary source of legal identity. He noted that the identification number is increasingly required for citizens to access a wide range of Government services, financial institutions, social protection programmes, employment opportunities, healthcare services and other essential public and private sector transactions.
Members of the Executive of the Council of Tribal Heads welcomed the engagement and reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to supporting the Authority’s national objectives. They pledged to intensify awareness campaigns within their communities and mobilize citizens across Sierra Leone to participate fully in ongoing and future civil registration and national identification exercises.
The traditional leaders assured the Director General that they would continue serving as trusted partners and grassroots ambassadors for the NCRA by encouraging families to register births, deaths, marriages and other vital events promptly while promoting widespread enrolment for National Identification Numbers.
They observed that effective civil registration strengthens governance, improves public service delivery, enhances national security and ensures that every citizen enjoys equal recognition before the law. They further emphasized that comprehensive documentation is essential for inclusive national development and sustainable socio-economic planning.
Stakeholders who attended the consultative meeting described Director General Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi’s leadership style as inclusive, progressive and community-driven. They commended his deliberate efforts to engage traditional authorities as strategic partners in national development rather than treating them merely as ceremonial institutions.
According to participants, the Director General’s consultative approach has strengthened confidence between the NCRA and local communities, creating stronger partnerships capable of expanding civil registration coverage nationwide. They noted that lasting national systems can only succeed when built on collaboration, mutual trust and shared responsibility between Government institutions and community leaders.
The meeting concluded with both the National Civil Registration Authority and the Council of Tribal Heads reaffirming their shared vision of achieving a fully documented Sierra Leone. Both parties pledged to sustain their collaboration as the Authority intensifies nationwide registration campaigns and expands National Identification Number enrolment, ensuring that no citizen is left undocumented or excluded from accessing essential services and opportunities.
