NIMC TAKES NIN ENROLMENT CAMPAIGN TO THE GRASSROOTS

 In line with its crucial mandate of instituting a fool-proof national identity database and a reliable National Identity Management System, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) took the enlightenment campaign to the various grassroots areas in the country.

The campaign was an avenue to enlighten Chairmen, councilors, traditional rulers, heads of local Government administration in the Northern and Southern zones of the country on the need to enroll for the National Identification Number (NIN).

In his keynote address at the Summits, the Director General of the Commission, Barrister Chris Onyemenam informed the participants on the need to register and collect their NIN which is their unique identity aside from the identity card which will be issued to them on a later date.

According to the director general, the Commission has established enrollment centers in all the 36 states, and is working on establishing same in all the 774 local government areas in the country in order to bring the crucial exercise closer to the people.

He added that the Commission has plans for people in the creeks, hinterlands and other difficult terrains who may not be able to access the enrollment centres at the LGA secretariats. ‘Mobile and semi mobile enrollment units will be made available for this purpose,” he said.

The DG also noted that the Commission has special plans for the registration of the aged, disabled and VIPs who may find it difficult to follow the due procedure of the registration in order to make sure every Nigerian has his or her own NIN before the December 31, 2014 as directed by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. 

Speaking further, the Director General remarked that in a bid to meet the December 31^st 2014 deadline, registration which is from Mondays to Fridays, will soon be extended to weekends in order to enroll people that might not have time to enroll during working days.

On the issue of the multi-purpose identity card, the Director-General noted that the card will be enveloped and delivered to individual’s homes that cannot collect theirs from the NIMC office as soon as they are ready.

He reiterated that the multi-purpose card can be used for payment purposes just like the ATM, adding also that the card works with not just a code but also fingerprint.

Speaking at one of the forum, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, said INEC is collaborating with NIMC to make the voter' register better and more efficient.

Represented by the Commission's head of ICT, Jega said provision has already being made in the voter registration form for the NIN.

He announced that the present system will still hold sway during the 2015 general elections, adding however that by 2019 all that is needed to vote will be the NIMC National identity card.

In her remarks, the NIMC Assistant Director of operations, Florence Ogbukei called on the local government authorities to mobilize their people en masse for the enrollment exercise.

She also urged them to provide the enrollment centers with some basic amenities like, Air Conditioners, fans, toilets, tables, chairs, and other office equipment.

During the interactive sessions most participants observed that the NIMC project is a good work and requested the Director-General not to relent in his efforts in moving the country forward.

Also the local governments promised to collaborate with the commission to ensure that the project does not fail. They promised to invite the traditional rulers in their various domains in order to inform their citizens to come out and get their NIN.

The summits were well attended by different youth and women groups, Commissioners for Local Government Affairs, Traditional rulers, lawmakers ,  local government chairmen and councilors from all  the zones, key opinion leaders  as well as Para- military organizations like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Nigeria Immigration Service  – amongst others.


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