By Foday Moriba Conteh
In a public notice dated the 31st March 2021, it was made known that starting from the 9th April 20 21 to the 22nd April, 2021, from 08:00am to 5:00pm daily, the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) will undertake a Biometric Verification of Government Pensioners whose Personal Details have been provided by NASSIT and the Accountant General’s Department.
This will become operational due to the request of the Ministry of Finance and in collaboration with the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT.
The purpose of the exercise is to sanitise the Government Pension Payroll in order to make it transparent and accountable. The Verification exercise will be done simultaneously at all NASSIT 33 Pension Pay Points and NCRA Offices across the country. For Pensioners in the Western Area Urban, Verification will be done at the Sierra Leone Police Officers’ Mess, Kingtom Freetown.
The Authority further wishes to inform the general public that this Verification exercise will target all Government Pensioners (Civil/Public servants) that includes: Former Presidents and Vice Presidents, Retired Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Retired Members of Parliament, Retired Judges, Retired NEC Chairpersons and Commissioners, Retired Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners of NaCSA, Retired Military and Police Officers on Government Pension Payroll, Retired Custom Officers on Government Pension Payroll. Beneficiaries of Military Officers Killed in Action (KIAs) & Wounded in Action (WIAs).
All active Government Pensioners are encouraged to go to their usual NASSIT Pension Pay Points and NCRA offices in their respective Districts for Verification.
Sick/bed-ridden Pensioners who might have changed their locations or addresses, are advised to send their Wards/Aids either to the nearest NASSIT Pay Point and the NCRA Offices in their locations during the exercise to update their contact addresses.
Additionally, NCRA Verification Roaming Teams will visit all sick/bed-ridden Pensioners at their respective contact addresses submitted by NASSIT.
For Military Officers Killed in Action (KIA), beneficiaries/ survivors must come along with their Discharged Books and all other relevant
documents.
Furthermore, Pensioners resident abroad are requested to provide a notarized Life Certificate bearing the name, Pension Number and any authentic internationally recognized Legal Identity details with a recent passport size photo of the member.
The aforementioned documents should be scanned and sent via email to info@ncra.gov.sl or send hard copy to the Director General, NCRA, 2 Walpole Street Freetown.
Government Pensioners currently resident in Sierra Leone are requested to present Government Pension ID Card and any of the following documents for the Verification: Voter ID Card, Government Pension Payment Receipt, Bank ID Card, Cancelled Cheque leaf (for those with Current Bank Accounts), NCRA Registration Certificate, Retirement Letter from Pensioner’s last institution of work or Discharged Book for Military Officers.
All Government Pensioners are encouraged to cooperate with the NCRA in order to have a successful Verification exercise.
Pensioners who fail to present themselves for the Verification may not be considered for inclusion into the cleaned Government Pension Payroll.
