The newly appointed European Union (EU) Head of Cooperation to Sierra Leone, Gerald Hatler and his team paid courtesy call on the Director-General (DG) of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi and Senior Management staff at the Walpole Street Office in Freetown.
The meeting is part of the NCRA’s continuous engagement with Development Partners especially the EU who is a critical partner in strengthening Civil Registration, Vital Statistics and Identity management in Sierra Leone. The Director General Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi expressed gratitude to the new EU Head of Cooperation and his team for their support to the NCRA particularly in the areas of Identity Management and births and deaths registration.
Mr. Massaquoi said the meeting was conveyed at the request of the new EU Head of Cooperation so as to provide a platform for familiarization and to continue with the partnership engagements for the furtherance of the NCRA mandate and vision.
In his remarks, the new EU Head of Cooperation, Gerald Hatler thanked the DG and his team for a warm welcome. He noted that he was very pleased to meet with the DG of NCRA for the very first time since his appointment as new EU Head of Cooperation to Sierra Leone. Gerald Hatler commended the DG for providing the leadership in steering the activities and programs of the Authority. He informed the DG that he is in Sierra Leone for the implementation of different projects of which NCRA sits at the top. He assured the DG that the NCRA project is very important especially in the spheres of politics and governance and he is therefore fully interested and keeping a close eye on it. Mr. Gerald Hatler expressed willing to learn the operations, functions and work of the NCRA. He implored the Mohamed Massaqoi to always count on his support and reach out to him at all times.Responding to the new EU Head of Cooperation, the Mohamed Massaqoi said he is particularly happy that Gerald Hatler took time to visit the NCRA office and look at what they do, which he described as an indication of an improved relationship wherein they will be able to implement their activities with its desired objective.
Mohamed Massaqoi informed Gerald Hatler that he recognized the pivotal role the EU has played and continues to play especially in the area of infrastructure and the development of Civil Registration, Vital Statistic and Identity Management in the country. He noted that since he assumed office in 2018, his engagements with the European Union has been very fruitful and head of the EU Delegation in Sierra Leone Ambassador Tom Venns has shown exemplary commitment in supporting the activities of the NCRA. Mr. Massaquoi maintained that the NCRA project is important to government in particular and its development partners especially the EU, as the Authority’s data could be used for planning and development purposes.
He further explained the importance of the confirmation of personal details of citizens and non-citizens resident in Sierra Leone which he said the Authority can only share that data to other institutions after the confirmation would have been conducted. Mohamed Massaqoiu informed Gerald Hatler that the NCRA was on a sound footing when COVID-19 broke out and weighed down on the activities of the Authority. Mr. Gerald Hatler ended by thanking the DG for his time and assured him and his team of EU’s commitment to the NCRA and the people of Sierra Leone
Leave a Reply