By Lamin Fatty
The Gambia Immigration Department in the Upper River Region has extended issuing National Identity Cards to Fatoto and other communities. The development comes following the Governor’s tour of the Region on a fact finding mission to get firsthand information on the achievements as well as the challenges confronting people in the Region.
During the tour, the issue of acquiring the national ID card was raised as a concern by the people of the Region; that since then, the Governor’s office has engaged the Commissioner of Immigration to set up another issuing centre within the Region, with the inauguration of a new office in Fatoto and the provision of a mobile team that will visit other communities within the Region.
Speaking at the inauguration of their new office in Fatoto, the Commissioner for Immigration in URR Ensa Jawara, said the new facility will not only ease the burden on the Basse main office, but assist those who travel from remote areas to Basse, just to acquire their national documents.
Commissioner Jawara further explained the process and procedures of qualifying to get the new biometric ECOWAS National ID Card and the Aliens Card.
Commissioner Jawara advised the people of the area to cooperate with Immigration Officers to enable them execute their work efficiently.
For his part, the Deputy Governor of URR Essa J. Conteh, reaffirmed Government’s commitment in responding to the needs of the people; that establishing ID Card issuing centre at Fatoto, is a clear testimony for this. He urged the people especially those in Kantora district to take ownership of the new facility, whilst calling on Immigration Officers to exercise patience with the people.
Some of the community elders expressed joy and appreciation to Government for coming up with such an initiative; that this will go a long way in addressing some of their challenges.
