16/05/2026
Minister of Internal Affairs Reaffirms Commitment to Decentralized Immigration Services as Makeni Hosts North-East Regional Passport and Unified Permit Centre
Makeni, 15 May 2026 – The Minister of Internal Affairs, Rtd. AIG Morie Lengor Esq., has reaffirmed Government’s commitment to decentralizing immigration services across Sierra Leone as the Sierra Leone Immigration Department officially operationalized the North-East Regional Immigration Office in Makeni.
The Minister described the initiative as a major milestone in improving public service delivery and expanding access to essential immigration services for citizens and foreign residents living outside Freetown.
“This initiative reflects Government’s determination to ensure that citizens can access essential services in a timely, dignified, and efficient manner without unnecessary hardship. Decentralization is not only about convenience; it is about inclusion, accessibility, and national development,” he stated.
The decentralization programme, aimed at reducing congestion in Freetown and easing the financial and logistical burden associated with passport acquisition and immigration processing, was first launched in Kenema with the opening of the Eastern Regional Immigration Office and has now been extended to Makeni through the establishment of the North-East Regional Immigration Office.
Authorities say plans are currently underway to operationalize additional Immigration and Labour offices in Kenema, Makeni, Kono, Port Loko, and Bo as part of Government’s broader strategy to strengthen nationwide access to immigration and labour-related services.
The rollout also incorporates the Unified Permit System, implemented in partnership with Constrat Systems, to improve the processing of resident permits and related services for foreign nationals.
The decentralization effort follows increasing public concern over the challenges faced by citizens travelling from the provinces to Freetown to access passport and immigration services often involving high transportation costs, accommodation expenses, delays, and other hardships.
Speaking at the launch, Chief Immigration Officer, Dr. Moses Tiffa Baio, underscored the importance of bringing immigration services closer to the people. He recounted the experience of a woman who travelled from Makeni to Freetown to obtain a passport but was forced to spend the night without accommodation or financial support.
According to Dr. Baio, such experiences highlighted the urgent need for reform and decentralization.
“Everyone, regardless of social class or status, requires a passport. Government has the responsibility to ensure that citizens can access this essential service wherever they reside,” he stated.
Dr. Baio clarified that the decentralization process does not necessarily involve the creation of entirely new offices, noting that immigration offices already existed in Makeni but previously lacked full passport processing capacity. As a result, applicants were still required to travel to Freetown a process he described as costly, stressful, and often risky.
Also speaking at the event, Marketing and Visibility Consultant for Constrat Systems, Yeama Sarah Thompson-Oguamah, highlighted the significance of the Unified Permit platform in improving efficiency, accessibility, and compliance in the processing of resident permits for non-nationals.
She explained that the Unified Permit System forms part of a broader collaboration between the Sierra Leone Immigration Department and the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security. As part of the decentralization initiative, dedicated officers have been deployed to regional offices, including Makeni, to facilitate the registration and processing of resident permits for foreign nationals within their respective regions.
Civil society representatives from the North-East region welcomed the development, describing it as a historic milestone for the area. Many observed that since Sierra Leone’s independence in 1961, residents of Makeni and surrounding districts had never enjoyed direct access to such comprehensive immigration services.
With the regional centre now operational, citizens and foreign residents in the North-East will no longer need to travel to Freetown to process passports or resident permits , a development widely expected to reduce hardship, improve efficiency, and strengthen nationwide access to public services.
