By Sulaiman Jalloh

Hon. Alpha Ben Mansaray of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party in Parliament, representing the people of Moyamba District, Southern Provence of Sierra Leone, has called for what he called ‘equitable distribution of national identity card registration centers’ across the country.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Hon. Alpha Ben Mansaray stressed the current challenges citizens faced in different centres across the country and that the number of registration centers is insufficient and unfair, leaving many Sierra Leoneans unable to obtain their IDs.

“Imagine a district as vast as Moyamba with 14 chiefdoms, yet there is only one operational center. This forces our people to travel long distances at great cost just to secure their national ID cards,” the lawmaker underscored, highlighting the struggles of residents in remote areas such as Sewa and Kori, whom he said are challenged with expensive and exhausting travel just to meet the mandatory requirement.

According to the Member of Parliament, the National Identification Card is not just a piece of paper that one can hold in their hands but a crucial document to be used for different purposes. “The national ID card is not just a piece of paper, it is the key to accessing services like banking, education, and official transactions. Without it, our citizens are excluded from participating in critical aspects of national life,” he added while raising concerns about the long queues at the few available centers.

He, however, criticized the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) for enforcing rigid deadlines for ID card collection without addressing the logistical challenges citizens face something he said is inaccessible and burdensome.

For him, to address the issue, increasing the number of registration centers nationwide and introducing mobile units to serve remote communities is pivotal. “Mobile registration units could bring these services directly to our communities. This would not only make the process easier but also demonstrate that our government cares about inclusivity and equity,” he suggested while stressing that punitive measures to be taken against any citizens who fail to obtain the ID cards. He argued that threatening to arrest citizens who cannot meet the requirements due to systemic failures is unjust while urging NCRA and other relevant authorities to invest more resources in improving the registration system.

Hon. Mansaray noted that more machines and personnel are needed to ensure quality service delivery in the printing and issuance of national IDs. “An efficient system will not only ease the burden on our citizens but also generate significant revenue for the government,” he said while advocating for the people of Moyamba and all Sierra Leoneans.

His call for action has sparked discussions in Parliament with hopes that his proposals will lead to meaningful changes in the distribution and accessibility of national ID cards across Sierra Leone.