It is very important as a patriotic and smart citizen to make all necessary moves to secure the national Biometric ID Card which is an essential document to verify that you are a bona fide citizen of Sierra Leone. Besides, to save yourself from embarrassment like being denied access to open a bank account, withdraw money from the bank and even at Foreign Bureaus, it is prudent to contact any NCRA office and secure one.
It is against such a backdrop that, the National Civil Registration Authority of Sierra Leone (NCRA), is calling on all citizens and residents in the country to acquire biometric national ID cards which were introduced early last year.
Key to reiterate is that the campaign for the securing of the ID Cards is intended to enhancing holders’ personal security and as well enable them to easily have access to government and private sector services, local newspaper The Calabash reports.
According to the NCRA, all citizens who have attained the age of 12 are eligible to secure Biometric ID Cards and can visit any of its nearest branches in various districts for an application. Emphasizing the importance of citizens acting as patriots in securing the ID Cards, NCRA hopes to see an increase in the number of registrants in the course of 2024.
Designated centers and six specific offices have also been opened throughout the country, and locations that are easily-accessible, as part of efforts to facilitate the ID registration process.Cognizance must be taken that it is a civil responsibility which citizens must fulfill.
The ID-issuing authority says the cards will not only streamline the way individuals access public services, they will also contribute to the security architecture which the West African country is trying to build.
It must be noted that the card contains an embedded chip which carries the biometric information of the holder, to enable easy ID authentication. It also has an 11-digit National Identification Number (NIN) which acts as a unique identifier linked to the personal details of the card holder in the national population registry. Officials say the NIN will henceforth be a requirement for students of the primary education sector preparing to take pubic examinations.
As part of the use cases, the NCRA has also directed that from this year, the biometric ID card will be required at all of the country’s checkpoints for those travelling around the country.
Significantly, NCRA’s transformative initiative aligns with the Government’s commitment to fostering a safer, more efficient and accessible environment for all citizens.
To ensure accessibility, the NCRA has established specific offices and centers across key locations:
1. NCRA Headquarters: 2 Walpole Street, Freetown.
2. NCRA Office: 23B Off Kingharman Road, Freetown.
3. NCRA Office: Kennedy Street, Freetown.
4. NCRA Branch Office: 230 Lumley Road, Freetown (By the Round About).
5. NCRA Office: Waterloo along the Freetown High Way (Opposite the Police Station).
6. NCRA Offices: Regional Headquarter Towns of Bo, Kenema, Makeni, and Port Loko.
In a bid to enhance accessibility, the NCRA has introduced corporate services tailored for organizations and institutions. For comprehensive information on these corporate services, interested parties can contact the following numbers: +232-33-433-333 / +232-30-500-000 / +232-60-000 / +232-78-221-812 or via EMAIL: idverification@ncra.gov.
