Passport production at the Immigration Office in Freetown has been brought to a standstill for weeks due to severe infrastructure issues, as revealed by sources within the office.

The building, deemed unfit for purpose, has suffered significant damage from ongoing heavy rains, which have led to extensive leaks and compromised the facility’s safety.

The leaks have caused major electrical issues, with water seeping into cables and damaging essential equipment, including the standby generator and critical printing machines. Staff members have expressed grave concerns about the fire risk, fearing that turning on the electricity could ignite a blaze in the already vulnerable structure.

“We are even afraid to put the light on because we don’t want fire to engulf the building,” confirmed an insider at the Immigration Office. The deteriorating state of the building is severely hindering the efforts of officers to carry out their duties, including the production of passports and other immigration services.

Chief Immigration Officer Alusine Kanneh has reportedly been using personal funds to attempt to upgrade the office, but his efforts are being thwarted by the worsening condition of the facility.

An investigation into the situation revealed that a contract for the rehabilitation of the building had been awarded under the previous Minister of Works, Peter Bayouku Conteh. However, no work has commenced and attempts to contact the contractor have been unsuccessful.

The ongoing rains have not only exacerbated the situation at the Immigration Office but have also caused the collapse of several other buildings in Freetown. The public is increasingly calling on the government to address the deteriorating state of aging buildings housing government offices across the city.