Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon. Abdul Kargbo, has raised serious concerns over a recent notice reportedly issued by the Head of Immigration at the Freetown International Airport, warning that the directive may be legally flawed, administratively weak, and operationally impractical.
In a written statement, Kargbo said although the notice appears intended to address the growing issue of forged resident and work permits, the manner in which it was drafted and communicated raises several troubling issues that cannot be ignored.
According to him, one of the most significant concerns is the apparent transfer of responsibility for verifying the authenticity of resident and work permits from immigration authorities to private airline staff.
He argued that airlines are not immigration institutions and their personnel are neither trained nor legally empowered to authenticate Sierra Leone immigration documents.
“The responsibility for verifying immigration status rests primarily with the State through its Immigration Department,” Kargbo stated.
The Minority Leader also questioned a reported threat in the notice imposing a US$3,000 penalty on airlines for non-compliance. He noted that the directive allegedly failed to cite any law, statutory instrument, regulation, or policy that would justify such a sanction.
“Administrative notices cannot simply create penalties without a clear legal basis,” he said, adding that the legality and enforceability of the proposed fine remain doubtful.
Kargbo further challenged the authority of the signatory to the notice, identified as the Head of Immigration at Lungi International Airport. He questioned whether an airport-based immigration official has the legal mandate to issue binding directives to multiple international airlines operating in Sierra Leone.
He maintained that directives of such national significance should ordinarily come from the Chief Immigration Officer, the Ministry Headquarters, or be introduced through a formally gazetted regulation.
Beyond legal concerns, Kargbo criticized the drafting quality of the document, saying it contained grammatical and professional errors that undermine its credibility.
He stressed that official communications directed to international airlines should reflect a high standard of professionalism, legal precision, and clarity.
On operational grounds, the opposition lawmaker said the directive creates uncertainty, particularly where it reportedly states that luggage can be offloaded “no matter the time” if permits are found to be inauthentic.
He said the notice failed to explain how authenticity would be verified, what systems airlines should use, which office would confirm authenticity, what happens when systems are unavailable, or who bears liability if a passenger is wrongly denied boarding.
Kargbo also noted that airlines already conduct passport and visa checks in accordance with international travel requirements, arguing that asking them to authenticate domestic residency and work permits exceeds standard aviation practice.
He expressed further concern over the absence of a verification mechanism, pointing out that no hotline, digital portal, contact office, or official verification system was provided to assist airlines in complying with the directive.
“Compliance therefore becomes practically difficult and vulnerable to arbitrary decisions,” he stated.
The Minority Leader concluded by calling for stronger immigration systems and firm action against document fraud, but insisted such measures must be lawful, professionally communicated, practical, and institutionally sound.
He warned that poorly drafted directives which exceed legal authority risk creating confusion, damaging Sierra Leone’s international image, and eroding public confidence in state institutions.
