Jonathan sets Dec 2014 deadline to register Nigerians

From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

President Goodluck Jonathan has given the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) until December 31, 2014 to ensure the enrolment of all eligible persons into the National Identity Database, as provided for in Section 16 of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act No. 23, of 2007.

He has also ordered that by the same date, all 14 government agencies requiring identity verification and authentication services or involved in data capture activities must align, with a view to switching over to the NIMC infrastructure.
The president noted: “If the work of law enforcement officers is to be enhanced; if consumer credit is to be accessible; if we are to reduce the cost of managing the Naira cash component currently estimated at N192 billion per annum; if we are to reduce the amount of currency in circulation currently put at N1.93 trillion; if we are to achieve a multiple pronged approach to the fight against corruption; and finally, if we are to introduce social security or welfare payments, then we must, first and foremost, establish and verify appropriately, the identities of individuals.”
Jonathan gave the order yesterday at the formal launch of the Enrolment Exercise for the Issuance of the National Identification Number (NIN) at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
He noted that Nigeria cannot be an exception to the global trend towards Identity Management and Centralised National Identity Database. Also, he noted that already, “there is a growing quest for specific databases and identity verification by several government institutions and private sector organizations in our country.”
President said: “Aside from being unwieldy, the cost of operating multiple discordant databases and infrastructure is unsustainable.  Government cannot afford the continued proliferation of data capture activities. The proliferation does not grant any advantage in efficiency, neither does it make good economic sense.
“The growing identity verification needs, therefore, calls for harmonisation and integration of identity databases and the development of a universal service infrastructure.”
President Jonathan therefore, charged the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Finance to “ensure that these objectives, which are aimed at streamlining biometrically-linked databases and optimizing scarce resources, are accomplished on record time.”
He said while government remains committed to the accelerated development of the National Identity Management System (NIMS), the private sector must also rise up to its role. “Corporate operators must seize the unique opportunities provided by the concession agreement, to make investments in the scheme.
The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, cleared the air on the confusion that other forms of registration will be suspended. According to him, “there is a scepticism in this country, of the whole process of a national identity card management system, viz-a-viz the conduct of activities of some of the MDAs that you are talking about. The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), for instance, does biometric recording of travellers and people who come into and out of Nigeria and keeps the records and maintains the database. The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), certainly has registration exercise for drivers licensees, but the National Identity Management Commission takes responsibility for the entirety of the  registration of Nigerians and so there is no conflict in this situation.”
Speaking at the launch, the DG of the NIMC, Chris Onyemenam, noted that the main identification is the NIN generated upon registration and is not transferable.  He added that the issued identity card has multiple uses and can be used for financial operations linked to MasterCard, Verve and Visa.
He noted that the new identification system will help to eliminate identity related fraud, and all forms of deception, adding that by December 31, 2013, they would have mobilised for registration to strategic places, like military formations, university campuses among others to fast-track the enrolment.
Onyemenam said so far, 500 systems have been deployed to 42 locations nationwide, while over 2, 000 staff have been engaged. He said the commission records about 25,000 enrolment weekly in the 1, 750 enrolment units in the 774 local government areas.
Chairman of the commission, Uche Secondus, requested for full release of N30.6 billion budget for the commission to enable it carry out its functions without hitches.
He also requested for an adoption of same salary structure to ensure the retention of skilled personnel that have been acquired and trained by the commission.

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