The Office of the Clerk of Parliament has instituted stiffer measures thereby restricting visitors from accessing Parliament.

According to a notice from the Clerk’s office, the general public, including strangers or visitors to the precincts of Parliament to adhere to the following measures:

The notice for visiting purpose, visitors should be in formal dresses to gain access to Parliament and that visitors should present formal identification including passport, national identity card or driver’s license.

The notice further said, before entering Parliament visitors should sign a visitors book and leave their identity cards with an officer of the House who will provide them a visitor’s tag.

The notice revealed that visitors will receive their identity cards upon returning the tags after visitations.

The Clerks notice stated that, only Ministers, Diplomats and Journalists are allowed to enter the Chamber of Parliament with their phones.

The notice pointed out that other persons would have to leave them at the main entrance and their phones will be given to them thereafter. The measures will take effect on the 31 October 2024.

Parliament says these new measures aimed at strengthening security around the precincts of Parliament and are not in any way whatsoever intended to bar citizens and non-citizens from gaining access to the Parliament of Sierra Leone.