By Kadijatu Bangura, Daily Scope Reporter
Sierra Leone’s government has opened its first regional immigration service center in the Northern Region, a move officials say will cut travel costs, reduce delays, and bring state services closer to millions of citizens outside Freetown.
The center was launched as part of the administration’s decentralization agenda and will handle passport applications, national identity card processing, and other immigration procedures locally. Until now, residents had to travel to the capital for these services.
Internal Affairs Minister Morie Lengor said the expansion is designed to make government more accessible and efficient. “This is about delivering services where people live, not forcing them to come to Freetown for everything,” he said at the launch.
Immigration Department officials described the rollout as a step toward improving efficiency and equity in public service delivery nationwide. The center will serve residents across the Northern Region, where demand for documentation has long been constrained by distance and cost.
The announcement was welcomed by many in Makeni and surrounding districts, who called it a long-overdue measure to ease pressure on families and businesses. Some residents, however, urged authorities to ensure the facility is fully staffed and equipped to avoid the bottlenecks that have plagued other regional offices.
The Immigration Department has not yet said when similar centers will open in other regions.
The launch signals the government’s intent to push essential services beyond the capital as part of broader public sector reforms.
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