(Kenema, Eastern Region, Friday 12th November 2021) – With support from the European Union and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) has concluded a two-day nationwide regional stakeholders’ consultative meeting for the Eastern Region in Kenema City, on the Review of the draft National Civil Registration Act of 2016 and Development of Civil Registration Regulations.
The meeting was held at the Paloma Conference Hall in Kenema City.
The consultative sessions would give stakeholders across the country the opportunity to review, discuss and make valuable inputs where necessary from their respective perspectives on the proposed draft documents.
In his opening statement, the chairman of the meeting, David Ngaiteh Kamara, Senior ICT Officer at the Ministry of Internal Affairs appreciated NCRA for taking the lead to ensure that laws that are in conflict with other legislations are reviewed for the good of all and sundry. He informed participants that NCRA was established by an Act of parliament in 2016 to register all vital events occurring in individual’s life, issuance of National identity card among other things.
He underscored the importance of the meeting which was for participants to look at the draft documents critically and make their valuable contributions which would be considered in the primary documents. He added that NCRA had made their inputs to the draft documents, however, to get it right they needed to consult beyond their office by bringing you all together as critical stakeholders.
He encouraged participants to put heads together and give their best to the process as their valuable contributions would be added to the final draft before taken to cabinet for approval.
Speaking on behalf of the Resident Minister East, the Senior District Officer, William B. Ngegbai extended his appreciation to the NCRA for organizing such an important event that would seek to elicit the contributions of all and sundry. He expressed his delight at the timeliness of the session in Kenema City, Eastern Region, noting that stakeholders would have the proclivity of adding their views to this very important document.
He urged all stakeholders present to give their all by thinking in order to add value to the review process.
Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Assistant Secretary in the Ministry, Musu Sedia Mansaray said that they embraced the idea of the NCRA consulting them to make inputs to the draft documents. She noted that as a region, they would support the review process and ensure that it reflects the views of not only the people of the Eastern Region but the country as a whole.
On his part, the Ag. Deputy-Director of Administration of NCRA, Abraham Lansana Turay on behalf of the DG of NCRA, while commending participants for their efforts to be part of the stakeholder consultation on the proposed drafts of the National Civil Registration Bill, Policy and Regulations, noted that stakeholders in the Eastern Region would have the free-will to read, understand and make meaningful contributions to the draft documents during the 2-day consultations.
‘Let us put what we believe should be in the draft documents,’ he urged participants.
He further stated that the importance of engaging and consulting stakeholders in the Eastern Region could not be overemphasized, as without their presence and relevant inputs to the draft documents the consultative process would not have been completed.
He explained that NCRA by law is mandated to register, collect and compile all vital events occurring in Sierra Leone.
“Established by an Act of Parliament, the National Civil Registration Act of 2016 gave the NCRA the mandate to conduct compulsory registration of citizens and non-citizens resident in Sierra Leone, to provide for the issuance of identity cards, to be responsible for the registration of births, adoptions, deaths, marriages, divorces and nullities throughout Sierra Leone and other related matters,” he said.
He encouraged all stakeholders present to make relevant contributions to the drafts.
Mr. Turay commended the European Union and the UNDP, as key Development Partners in the CRVS and ID Management process in Sierra Leone for throwing their support behind the review of the National Civil Registration Act in a bid to address any legal creases that may hinder the effective and efficient functioning of the NCRA operation.
On the first day of the meeting, the National Legal Consultant, Augustine S. Marrah Esq, made a Power Point presentation on the proposed Amended National Civil Registration Act and Regulations and on the proposed Regulations on National Identity Number (NIN) and National Identity Card (NIC) on the second day.
During his presentations, he informed participants that the consultation process would seek to elicit the views and sentiments of stakeholders, adding that their keen attention and contributions to the process is of paramount importance.
The 2-day consultative session in the Eastern Region was climaxed by group presentations, discussions, questions and answers session on the draft documents.
In attendance were representatives of various MDAs in the region, Civil Society Organizations, the Media and a cross section of senior staff of NCRA.
The Eastern Region Consultative Sessions ended with closing courtesies with the sessions to be continued in the other regions in the coming days.
©️ IEC Directorate, NCRA.
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