By Charles Lebbie
Sierra Leone has opened its first Immigration Department office in the eastern region city of Kenema, in a move aimed at decentralising services and improving access for residents outside the capital, officials said.
The new facility marks a significant expansion of the Sierra Leone Immigration Department’s (SLID) operations beyond Freetown, where most immigration services, including passport processing, have traditionally been centralised.
Authorities said the office will bring immigration services closer to residents of the Eastern Province, reducing the need for long-distance travel to the capital for documentation and related procedures.
Kenema, the largest city in eastern Sierra Leone and a key administrative and economic hub, is expected to benefit from improved service delivery under the decentralisation drive.
The Immigration Department has in recent years pursued a broader reform agenda aimed at expanding regional access to public services, including passport and identification processing, as part of efforts to modernise operations and improve efficiency.
Officials say similar offices are expected to be strengthened or expanded in other regional centres as part of the ongoing decentralisation programme.
