By Louise Jobe
Stringent measures are being applied in the issuance of national identity cards resulting to a host of complaints from those who still could secure one or had to overcome hurdles to do so.
Documents presented by claimants are not taken for their face value.
Three claimants who presented themselves to get their national identity documents at the Semlex Company in Kanifing on Thursday December 20th 2018 could not obtain them.
One Momodou Sabally, a 21year old resident of Banjulunding, told Foroyaa that he produced his birth certificate, his only document when he presented himself to obtain a national ID card but he was asked for his mother’s ID card which he said was burnt.
The mother of Momodou Sabally, one Maimuna Jallow, a resident of Sinchu Alagie village, said that she lost her document in a fire incident at their village in Foni. She expressed her disappointment with the Immigration officer.
Maimuna urged Government to look at the way applicants are handled when claimants appear before Immigration Officers to get their national Identity documents.
Lala Kurubally a 24 year old female from Farafenni, said she was not issued with an ID card when she made a claim. When asked why she was not given one, she said she was asked to produce supporting documents of her parents. She said that she lost her father when she was young and is currently not living with her mother, who lives in Illiasa.
This reporter spoke to one Immigration officer and this is what he had to say: ‘‘It is our mandate to go through all documents presented to us for thorough scrutiny, before issuing any ID card. If we are not satisfied with any document presented before us, we will ask for more supporting documents like parent’s or Alkalo’s documents. And these have to be provided or the applicant will not get an ID card.’’
