National Identity Cards and EECOWAS Passports, 30th July 2009

Mr. Chairman
Hon. Vice President
Cabinet Ministers
Members of Parliament
His Lordship the Mayor of Freetown
Mayors of Other City Councils
Chairmen of District Councils
Paramount Chiefs and Tribal Authorities
Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am delighted to be here today to deliver the keynote address on the occasion of the official launch of
both the National Identity Card and the ECOWAS passport. These two documents are critical in enhancing
national security through the compulsory registration of all citizens and non-citizens resident in the country
and the control of all people who leave or enter the borders of Sierra Leone.

The background to these two documents has been aptly explained by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Local Government
and Rural Development, who has worked so diligently to ensure that we get to this day. To this end, I wish to thank the
Minister for his profound commitment to these laudable ventures and to congratulate him on his achievement.

On assuming office in 2007, my government acted swiftly to reverse the moribund state in which we found the National
Registration Secretariat. I signed the National Registration Act into law in April 2008, barely six months of coming to power.
This enabling Act makes registration compulsory for citizens as well as non-citizens resident in Sierra Leone.
My government’s vision for the secretariat is to transform it into the key state institution.

Mr. Chairman, in line with my government’s emphases on ensuring implementation of policies, we are currently restructuring
the secretariat and placing it under the management of a dynamic, competent and experienced team that will:

(i)ensure the effective management of a modern, up-to-date, comprehensive and secure national data system based on registration

(ii)enhance national security, minimize fraud, and help in the control of crime and drugs through the introduction of biometric ID cards and the allocation of a unique, non-repeatable national identification number (NI Number) to every man, woman and child in Sierra Leone

(iii)serve as a strategic co-ordination body that leads on the process of harmonization and standardization of the registration policies and programs of all those institutions that have responsibility for Vital Statistics in Sierra Leone

Mr. Chairman, my government believes that it is only when we ensure implementation of our policies that we would create a
positive impact in the lives of our people. We know the challenges are tough, but we will implement our Agenda for Change in
this country. We are bringing reliable power supply to Freetown and other provincial towns, we are prosecuting the corrupt,
we are building the roads, and we are attracting critical investments that will improve the employment situation in the country. 
We shall not allow policy documents to gather dust on government shelves. We are implementing the policies: that is one
critical difference that my government is bringing to the governance of this country.

It is on the basis of this emphasis on implementation that we will assess the work of the team we are putting together in this
secretariat. All government workers, all those in charge of government’s department and units, from the officials of our judiciary
to the accountants and technicians at NPA, the Roads Authority and other government departments, must demonstrate that they
are on board my Government’s Agenda for Change by ensuring the implementation of the vision we have for this country.
Let no one stand in the way of my government’s determination to implement its Agenda for Change.

Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen - Let me at this point address you on the issue of the ECOWAS passports. Ladies and
Gentlemen, my government is fully committed to regional integration and development. The ECOWAS Treaty provides for
community citizenship and proof of that is for an individual to own a community passport to enable them travel freely within the
sub-region. The ECOWAS Passport is a supra-national instrument for travel, which all ECOWAS States have recognized and are
asking the wider international community to accept. Consequently, it is more important than any of the national passports within
the West African region. The holder is not considered a foreigner, and is free to pass easily through international borders without
the rigors faced by non-ECOWAS citizens.

At this juncture – Mr Chairman - let me appeal to all eligible persons to obtain the documents as required by law.
As my government will not tolerate any breaches that border on undermining our national security, I will encourage all and
sundry, in trying to obtain your documents, to comply with the regulations, processes and procedures that have been put in
place by the respective Departments. My Minister and the management of the two Departments will, no doubt, welcome
suggestions from any member of the public on how best to ensure the effective and efficient administration of these projects.

Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, it now gives me the greatest pleasure to formally launch both the
National ID Cards and ECOWAS Passports for Sierra Leone.
I thank you all!!