By Saidu Bangura Esq
Whether Ibrahim Prince Tholley is within the age bracket to run for the Presidency of the APC National Young Congress is subject to be proven by a competent court of Law. As many presidential candidates intend petitioning the candidacy of Ibrahim Prince Tholley, with only WAEC or NASSIT Cards to prove his age in Court, they must do so with a proof from an institution that is charged with legal mandate to testify in court.
Whilst it is inconceivable fact to speak of age without mentioning WAEC, NASSIT or NCRA, it is however important to note the subtle differences among the institutions when it comes to age determination for various purposes. It is obviously obvious that the aforementioned institutions are public institutions and directly deal with age requirements but for different reasons.
For instance, WAEC is charged with responsibility of registering students for public and private examinations for which status and functions as a country is guided by Section 2 of CAP 109 of the Laws of Sierra Leone, 1960. This makes it clear that WAEC is deficient when it comes to proving of age for election purposes in a court of law.
In the area of NASSIT, it was established by an Act of Parliament (Act No. 5 2001) to administer a Social Security Scheme that provides for financial security to all employees in Sierra Leone in the form of Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors’ Benefits based on Social Insurance principles. Further, section 45(3) of the same Act deals with age requirement as limitation to receiving pensions/benefits of deceased persons. Hence the mandate of NASSIT is clear and explicit and therefore holds less probative value to determine the age of an individual where it is a requirement for election purposes.
On the other hand, NCRA is charged with the responsibility of registering births, deaths and marriages in Sierra Leone. Originally, the registration of births and deaths was carved under the authority of Ministry of Health and sanitation.
The registration of such important events is now the exclusive mandate of NCRA as enshrined in section 45(1) of National Civil Registration Act of 2016.
Having examined the different objects and functions of the above institutions, it is therefore compelling to conclude that even though other institutions are competent, it will be of more evidential value for documents proving age to come from NRCA since it is the institution charged with the responsibility to register births and deaths in Sierra Leone.
Given the above circumstances, I respectfully submit that potential delegates for the upcoming APC National Young Congress elections to discountenance the much talked about WASSCE or NASSIT cards issue floating on various WhatsApp groups as testimonies from such institutions do not seem to hold more probative value in a competent Court of law for proving age for the conduct of elections in Sierra Leone.
