Powerful Nigerians Frustrating National ID Scheme – NIMC

The National Identity Management Commission has accused some “powerful Nigerians” of frustrating its efforts of ensuring that the National Identity Management System becomes a reality.

It described as difficult the entire terrain of the scheme, as those it accused of frustrating it had not relented in making the process difficult with the primary objective of maintaining the status quo.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, NIMC, Dr. Chris Onyemenan, said that the fight to bring the project to fruition had been tense, adding that the individuals concerned were benefiting from the current system without a coordinated national identity system.

He said, “Managing the transition period and the period during which the unseen infrastructure is developed and deployed, and the data collected in the face of stiff opposition from defenders of the status quo, and those who like to feed off public treasury, has been a difficult one.

“Much of the bad press and delays here and there come from these sources and the distractions they introduce into our processes unfortunately.”

Another big challenge, he added, was the failure of the concessionaires to meet their obligations, including setting up and running the enrolment centres “because they have not been able to secure the financial closure to invest in the NIMS and deliver on their obligations.”

Filling the gap is in itself another major challenge, according to him.

Onyemenan said the commission was now faced with the challenge of getting Nigerians to enrol for the national ID system as it expected that by now, private sector involvement would have become significant to enable Nigerians from all walks of life and locations to participate.

According to him, the disappointment means the NIMC will continue to intervene until due process is followed to sort out the issue.

He lamented, “So, that translates to poor citizen turnout, misunderstanding of what we are doing and comparing it with the past. The cynicism from the experience of the past is a big challenge and costs a lot more to manage.

“There is also the high cost of running the enrolment centres because of the needed stable power supply, dearth of requisite human resource, poor salary structure and the expectation gap borne out of the hurry to see the ID cards issued because we are used to such things. It doesn’t matter whether the National Identity Number is issued instantly or not, unlike in the past.”

Copyright PUNCH.