Delta State government on Thursday, flagged off free National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) enrollment programme, to capture over one million Deltans and non-Deltans into the national database in the next three months.
The exercise, which began in Asaba, the state capital, is expected to spread across the nook and cranny of the 25 councils of the State.
The Permanent Secretary (PS), Ministry of Economic Planning, Frank Isume, stated that the government had already renewed residents’ licence to facilitate enrollment of all persons yet to be captured into the national database.
Isume, who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Administration, Sunny Omamofo, said the enrollment exercise would allow for the registration of all persons residing in the state.
The coordinator of the programme, Dr. Sunny Orishadere, called on all and sundry to enroll for the National Identification Number (NIN), considering its importance.
Orishadere, the immediate past Executive Secretary of the state Bursary and Scholarship Board, said the state is targeting the registration of about 80 per cent of residents before proceeding to the second phase, and then the issuance of Residency Identify Card (RIC) to all persons willing to do business in the state.
Also speaking, Zenithview Enterprise Coordinator, Emmanuel Akonoghrere, disclosed that the programme, being sponsored by the state government and Bursary and Scholarship Board, is to enroll Deltans and non-Deltans, particularly those domiciled in the rural areas.
Akonoghrere stressed that adequate preparations had been made, having completed all activation of various devices, as well as completion of demo capturing where 1,050 Deltans were captured.
He said: “The registration of people from the age of one and above into the database will be followed with production of Residency Identity Cards for those residing or doing business in the state.
“There was a delay in the utilisation of the license in Delta due to some clog in the bureaucratic process, other commitments of the government and some unforeseen circumstances.”
The state Director of NIN, Oki Efe Lillian, said the programme was unique and important because it affords access to most government services, adding that the NIM has become necessary to obtain anything in Nigeria today.
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