The Gambia Immigration has started issuing National Identity Cards in the Upper River Region.

This will ease the burden on travel for the people within the region who want to get their hands on the national document.

The process which began on Monday has put smiles on the faces of many natives of the region who are living in the Greater Banjul Area.

Speaking to the Immigration spokesman, Superintendent Mammading Dibba, said the issuing of ID cards is in progress.

He said this is not the first time his Department started issuing ID cards in the region, but that it was started when the new biometric ID cards were introduced.

He said: “this is not the first of its kind in the region, we (Immigration Department) have been issuing ID cards throughout the country.”

Superintendent Dibba said the ID cards scheme is ongoing in the region and progressing well.

He said their Officers on the ground are fully trained for the job.

Meanwhile Mohamadou Touray, a native of URR now residing in the Greater Banjul Area, said: ” I am happy for this process by the Immigration Department because it will now make having ID cards simple for us in the region.”

He urged his fellow regional men and women to welcome the process with open arms.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba