By Alvin Lansana Kargbo 

The National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) concluded a two-day workshop with Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs to review the National Civil Registration and Identity Management Bill and four key Draft Regulations. The workshop took place on Monday, 30th June and Tuesday, 1st July 2025 at the Sierra Palms Hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown.

The workshop marks a significant step in modernizing Sierra Leone’s legal framework governing civil registration and identity management, nearly a decade after the initial National Civil Registration Act was enacted in 2016.

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Rtd AIG Morie Lengor Esq., in his keynote address, expressed his Ministry’s strong support for the initiative, highlighting the need for an updated legal framework that reflects emerging trends in civil registration, digital identity and vital statistics management.

“As a supervisory Ministry to the NCRA, we are proud of the Authority’s achievements in issuing secure national ID cards, ECOWAS IDs and certificates for births, deaths, marriages and adoptions,” he said. “This review is vital for aligning with new technological realities and ensuring our system supports good governance, national security and service delivery.”

He emphasized that the proposed draft Bill and Regulations will enhance the effectiveness of NCRA’s mandate, especially in providing accurate data for MDAs like NRA, NASSIT and SLRSA, which rely heavily on civil registration information for planning and public administration.

The Director General of NCRA, Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi, provided an overview of the proposed legislative framework, stating that the workshop aimed to present and discuss four draft regulations that will complement the revised Act. These include:

The Civil Registration Regulation

The Vital Statistics Regulation

The National Identification Number Regulation

The Identity Cards Regulation

“These regulations are essential for guiding the implementation of the new Act and addressing all aspects of civil status registration and identity management,” he stated. He described the process as a “critical intervention by key stakeholders,” stressing the need for coordinated efforts in ensuring that the legislative instruments reflect national priorities and international obligations.

He also emphasized the importance of continuity, collaboration and learning from previous experiences, noting that the process builds on contributions from a wide range of actors over the years.

Hon. Sarty Banya, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs, reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to the legislative review. He pointed out that the 2016 Act laid the foundation for establishing the NCRA, but with evolving digital and administrative landscapes, it has become necessary to revisit the law.

“Emerging issues were not envisaged when the law was passed,” he said. “This workshop allows us to scrutinize the new draft legislation to ensure it addresses current realities and future demands.”

He urged his fellow Parliamentarians to actively participate in the review process to produce a well-informed, inclusive and progressive legal document.

UNICEF Child Protection Specialist, Patricia Gihens, who also addressed the gathering, underscored the importance of legal identity as a gateway to essential services.

“A strong civil registration and identity management system is not just a technical reform, it is a social and economic imperative,” she noted. “Legal identity is foundational to accessing healthcare, education and social protection. It ensures that every child is visible, protected and given a fair start in life.”

She praised the Government of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and NCRA for their leadership and reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting the process.

Patricia Gihens emphasized that the review of the bill and accompanying regulations aligns with both Sierra Leone’s national development agenda and its international commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The two-day engagement stands as a crucial milestone in modernizing Sierra Leone’s legal identity framework, ensuring inclusive and accountable governance, enhancing service delivery through accurate, secure identity data, meeting national and global development obligations and empowering citizens, especially children, with legal identity.

Bringing together lawmakers, civil servants and development partners, the collaborative workshop signaled a unified commitment to building a more inclusive and digitized civil registration system in Sierra Leone. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/ncra-engages-parliamentarians-in-landmark-review-of-national-identity-and-civil-registration-laws/