Peter Asolo, chief executive officer, PetVini Global Concepts Limited, has identified inter-agency squabbles as a major roadblock to the attainment of the December 2014 deadline for the registration of all eligible Nigerian in National Identity Database by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMCE).
Asolo who was reacting to the directive by the Presidency, argued that some agencies will be reluctant to share their data with NIMCE on the basis of security as well as cost.
He said that the government needs to do more than the presidential directive and ensure compliance by all her agencies handling one form of identification or the other.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek recalled that President Jonathan told all government agencies requiring identity verification and authentication services or involved in data capture activities should align their activities with a view to switching over to National Identity Management Commission infrastructure.
But Asolo, warned that the NIMC may be overwhelmed by the enormous challenges and incapacitated to reach the hinterlands within the stipulated period.
Asolo also queried some of the decisions and modalities been adopted in the system.
“It is a pity how we throw merit into the bush; that is the bed rock of corruption. President Jonathan said NIN should not exceed 2014, but is that not another waste? Whatever happens to proper biometric census in this country nobody can tell for now”.
“An order for the stoppage of all biometric data gathering aside from international passport is another issue. Tell me, why will you register just half of the population for over 14 months? What happens to the entire population? Where will you do the registration? How do you want to do it when an existing act stipulates it clearly the processes of registration?
“How do you get to the rural populations where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) found it difficult to reach?”
President Jonathan had during the launch of the National Identification Number in Abuja, expressed displeasure at the proliferation of data capturing activities by private and public institutions in the country.
He expressed the hope that by the time the projects are completed, they would assist the National Population Commission, NPC in carrying out the2016 census.
Nevertheless, at the Abuja launch of NIN, Mr Chris Onyemena, director-general, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), expressed the hope that the identity card project would collapse other data capturing activities earlier embarked upon by some institutions in the country.
The National Identification Number (NIN) project, is aimed at enhancing the works of security agencies and reduce the cost of managing the naira cash component in the country. Besides, it will reduce the amount of currency in circulation and boost the fight against corruption.
Jonathan said: “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 N192bn per annum; if we are to reduce the amount of currency in circulation currently put atN1.93tn; 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.”
Nigeria’s national identity card antecedents are noting to write home about as a minister and his aides stood accused of corruptly enriching themselves in a monumental fraud to the tune of $214million.
The accused were arraigned at an Abuja High court on a 16-count-charge for their involvement in what is now known as the national identity card project scam.