The Acting Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi has attributed the present security challenges facing the country to poor, inaccurate and unreliable identity database of her citizens.
Speaking when he received in audience the Director General and Management Staff of National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) at Government House, Mr. Onyebuchi also said that poor national identity database encouraged unpatriotic Nigerians who engage in fraudulent acts like falsification of documents, crime and criminal activities among others.
The Acting Governor therefore described the establishment and functions of the commission as very welcome development since it would help the nation in her socio-economic planning and development, check fraud and falsification of document by people who manipulate data to get what they want.
He noted with dismay that previous efforts made in the country to produce very reliable and accurate national identity database failed and urged the management of the commission to guard against and correct all those factors that frustrated the exercise in the past.
The Acting Governor was of the opinion that with the current nationwide enlightenment campaign on the need and importance of the National Integrated Identity System, very reliable and accurate database that would met the expectations of Nigerians and international standard will be produced.
He then assured them of the full cooperation of government and people of Enugu to ensure the success of the exercise, adding that the success would be of great benefit to all Nigerians and her economy.
Earlier in his speech, the Director General of the NIMC, Mr. Chris Onyemenam told the Acting Governor that NIMC was establish by Act Number 23 of 2007 to foster the orderly development of an identity sector and build a modern identity management system for Nigeria, and create, operate and manage a secure sustainable national identity database, among others.
Mr. Onyemenam also explained that NIMC has the mandate to establish, operate, maintain and manage the National Identity Management System (NIMS) and carry out the registration of citizens and legal residents as provided for in the Act as well as create and operate a National Identity Database.
Others include issuance of unique National Identification Numbers (NIN) to qualified citizens and legal residents and issue a multi-purpose (smart) cards to all registered persons of sixteen years and above.
The NIMC Director General said that they have the capacity to hold in the database of one hundred and fifty million people, adding that enrollment into the database is customized to check double registration.
He stated that the new National Identity card is unique, and cannot be replaced or transferred to another people even when the holder dies, adding that it is the number on the card that matters and not the card itself.
Mr. Onyemena explained that they were in the state on enlightenment campaign for the enrollment of citizen, adding that pilot enrollment centres have been established in all the state capitals, ten in each state while enrollment units are to be established at local government areas and mobile enrollment units are to be opened for the hinterland.
