During the weekly press conference organized by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education on March 5th, 2024, Hon. Alusine Kanneh, the Chief Immigration Officer in Sierra Leone, took the stage to share significant updates regarding immigration reform.

In his statement, Hon. Alusine Kanneh commenced by acknowledging the challenges inherited upon assuming office. He said, “When I took over the Immigration Department, there was a problem of overcrowding, mostly caused by poor accommodation, and unauthorized volunteers who were engaged in unscrupulous activities. That is now a thing of the past.”

Central to the reform agenda is the modernization of passport application processes. Hon. Kanneh proudly announced, “We have upgraded our passport application forms to include the NIN number. That has enhanced the security features and will now ensure that Sierra Leoneans, and not foreigners, obtain our passports.”

Hon. Alusine Kanne halso mentioned that the Immigration Department is harnessing digital solutions to provide seamless passport issuance services to Sierra Leoneans across the globe.  “Very soon, our digital transformation would ensure that Sierra Leoneans in Washington or London do not need to go to the embassies or have proxies to get their passports.” He said.

In response to queries from the press, Hon. Alusine Kanneh reaffirmed the Immigration Department’s unwavering dedication to transparency and accountability. He pledged to uphold the highest standards of integrity in all operations, emphasizing the imperative of public trust in governmental institutions.