Bashir Opaluwa Idris
The Nigeria Agricultural Payment Initiative (NAPI) has flagged off the enrollment of children into National Identity Database and issuance of unique identification Numbers (NIN) to each child in Kogi.
Speaking at the ceremony, Kogi State Commissioner for Livestock Development, Dr. Olufemi Bolarin described the program as a dream come true in view of the fact that it will enable the children take possession of their country.
“We can not take possession of our country until we are citizens, and what makes us citizens? We must have that unique identification number, Everywhere all over the world there have it so why is Nigeria different”.
According to the Commissioner, the enrollment will enable the Government have details of every citizens of the country and as well serve as a source of planning.
Dr. Bolarin noted that the move will reduce insecurity to the bearest minimum.
While describing the program as a lofty idea, the Commissioner encouraged the children to ensure to enroll so as to enable them take their country back along the route of prosperity, food production, development trend in terms of infrastructure and politically.
The Director, Information Technology and Services, Pomade Consulting Limited in Partnership with National Identity Management Commission, Mr. Alphons Orinya said the enrolers have been properly trained to avoid error in registering.
“One of the biggest mistake we have discovered from database is that some people’s name are not correctly spelt and there end up spending money to do modification and all of that. Some people their date of birth not accurately captured and there have issues when they go for employment or admission, so here we are going to ensure that we have our personnel that are going to continue on this project to do excellent job”.
While describing the process as free of charge, Mr. Alphons noted that the enrollment will focus primarily on children.
He called on parents to support the enrolers with accurate data of their children for the success of the program.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of NAPI Technologies Limited, Mr. Okeme Alfred said the agency, having fulfilled all criteria for revalidation, was licensed by the National Identity Management Commission to conduct NIN enrollment services nationwide.
According to Mr. Okeme, the focus of the agency is the enrollment of all children in public and private primary and secondary schools in Kogi State into the National Identity Database and issuance of unique identification numbers to each child.
He appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Director General of NIMC, Dr. Bisoye Coker for giving the agency the opportunity to carry out the task.
In their goodwill messages, the Representative of Kogi NIMC, the DPO of Lokongoma Division, Mr. Christopher Alexier, Representative of Person’s with Disability, Comrade Solomon Yahaya that of Traditional Rulers, Chief Peter Oguche, and Mrs. Psalm Onuh Kate of Muslim Community Secondary School, appealed to Government to use the program for the benefit of the common people.
LGEA, Lokongoma, Muslim Community Secondary School, Lokongoma among others were among schools that participated in the flag off.
