Signed this 31st day of December, 1974

SIAKA STEVENS. President.

The National Registration Act, 1974

[31st December, 1974.]

Be it enacted by the President and Members of Parliament in this present Parliament assembled, as follows: —

1. This Act shall come into operation on a date to be appointed by the Minister by Order in the Gazette.

2. In this Act, unless a contrary intention appears— "Minister" means the Minister for the time being responsible for matters relating to the Interior;

" Chief Registrar " means the Chief Registrar appointed

under section 5 and includes registration officers;

registered person means—

(a) a person registered under the provisions of this Act;

(b) a person registered under the Non-Citizens (Registration, Immigration and Expulsion) Act, 1965

 

3. (1.) Subject to the provisions of this Act there shall be a register of all citizens of Sierra Leone and there shall be recorded in the register in relation to those citizens such particulars as are specified in the Schedule.

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 (2) The said register shall be called the National Register and is herein in. this Act referred to as " the Register ".

4. For the purpose of this Act Sierra Leone may be divided into such area divisions as the Minister may by Order in the Gazette from time to time determine.

5. (1) For the purpose of this Act the Public Service Commission shall appoint a Chief Registrar and such Registration Officers and other public officers as may be necessary for the carrying out of the provisions of this Act.

(2) The Chief Registrar in the exercise of his powers under this Act shall be subject to the control and direction of the Minister.

(3) The duties of the Chief Registrar shall include the making of such arrangements and the doing of such things as are necessary for the initiation and maintenance of the register in accordance with the provisions of this Act and for that purpose to make arrangements for the preparation and issue of the necessary forms and instructions and for the collection of the forms when completed.

6. (1) The Minister may, by Order published in the Gazette and in such other manner as he may consider best fitted to bring the contents thereof to the notice of the persons affected thereby require every citizen within a declared area division of the age of sixteen years and above to attend before a registration officer at such time, place and between such dates as he may specify in such Order.

Every such person shall make a return in respect of the matters specified in the Schedule and each such return shall be signed by the person by whom it is made. He shall also permit his photograph to be taken in such manner as may be prescribed.

7. The Minister or any person authorised by him for the purpose of this section may require a person who is giving any information in pursuance of this Act to furnish such documentary or other evidence of the truth of that information as it is within the power of that person to furnish.

8. (1) It shall be the duty of the Chief Registrar to cause a card containing the prescribed particulars (hereinafter in this Act referred to as an " Identity Card,") to be issued with respect to every registered person in accordance with Regulations made under this section.

(2) The Minister shall by Regulations—

(a) prescribe the form of Identity Cards and require to be entered therein such particulars with respect to such of the matters specified in the Schedule as may be prescribed;

(b) provide for the issue of an Identity Card, either directly or otherwise, to the person to whom it relates, or to such other person as is deemed under the Regulations to be in charge of the person to whom it relates;

(c) provide for the transfer of an Identity Card from time to time to the person who for the time being is responsible under the Regulations for the custody of the card;

(d) provide for the issue to such persons and in such circumstances, as may be prescribed of Identity Cards .valid for a limited period only;

(e) provide for the issue subject to the payment of such fee and compliance with such condition as may be prescribed by Regulations, of fresh Identity Cards in place of cards which have been lost, destroyed or defaced;

(f) provide for the surrender of Identity Cards by such persons and in such circumstances as may be prescribed, and, except where a person to whom the card relates has died or is outside Sierra Leone for issue of a fresh Identity Card in place of the surrendered card or (in case of a card valid for a limited period only) for the endorsement of the card for a further period.

All fees received under the Regulations shall be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

(4) A constable in uniform or any person authorised for the purpose under the Regulations may require a person who under the Regulations is for the time being responsible for the custody of an Identity Card forthwith to produce the card to him:

Provided that if, within the prescribed period after the requirement was made the person so required produces the card in person at such place and to such person as may be prescribed, he shall not be convicted of an offence under this Act by reason of his failure to produce the card at the time the requirement was made.

(5) Where a person fails to produce an Identity Card when required to do so under subsection (4), the person who requires its production may, without prejudice to the taking of proceedings in respect of the failure, require him to furnish orally or in writing particulars with respect to any of the matters specified in the Schedule.

9. The Minister may make Regulations for the better carrying out of the purposes of this Act and in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, may make Regulations with respect to the following matters—

(a) the registration or removal from the register of any person on his ceasing to be, or becoming a person who by virtue of the Regulations made under this section, is not required to be registered under this Act;

(b) the surrender of an Identity Card relating to any person on his becoming a person who is not required to be registered under this Act; and

(c) the length of time within which a person shall comply with the provisions of section 6.

10. (1) If any person—

(a) in giving any information for the purposes of this Act, knowingly or recklessly makes any statement which is false in a material particular; or

(b) with intent to deceive—

(i) makes false representation that he or any other person is a person to whom an Identity Card relates, or

(ii) allows any other person to have possession of an Identity Card for the custody of which he is responsible under the Regulations, or

(iii) forges an Identity Card or makes or has in his possession any document so closely resembling an Identity Card as to be calculated to deceive.

ne shall be guilty of an offence under this Act and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty leones or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both such fine and imprisonment.

(2) If any person—

(a) in the execution of his duties under this Act publishes or communicates to any person without lawful authority, any information acquired in the course of his employment, or

(b) having possession of any information which to his knowledge has been disclosed in contravention of this Act, publishes or communicates that information to any other person,

he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty leones or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to both such fine and imprisonment.

(3) If any person—

(a) wilfully refuses or without lawful excuse neglects to fill up the form or to cause it to be filled up to the best of his knowledge, information and belief or to deliver, it as therein required, or

(b) unlawfully makes, signs or delivers or causes to be made, signed or delivered any false return of any matter,

he shall be guilty of an offence and shall for each such offence be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding forty leones.

THE SCHEDULE (Section 3(1))

( 6(2))

Matters with respect to which particulars are to be entered in the

register—

1. Names

2. Sex

3. Age, date and place of birth.

4. Occupation, profession, trade or employment.

5. (a) Home address

(b) Present Residential address

6. Conditions as to marriage

7. Membership of any of the Naval, Military. Airforce or of any

civil or defence force.

8. Nationality

9. Such other particulars as may be prescribed.

Passed in Parliament this 29th dav of November, in the year of our Lord

 ' m

one thousand nine hundred and seventy-four.

M. MUNU, Acting Clerk of Parliament.

This Printed Impression has been carefully compared by me with the Bill which has passed Parliament and found by me to be a true and correctly printed copy of the said Bill.

M. MUNU, Acting Clerk of Parliament.