Sylvester Idowu in Warri
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DAS Energy Services Limited, Udu, near Warri, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has described the federal government’s initiative to introduce three National identity cards for citizens as nothing but a waste of resources of the people.
The federal government it was gathered plans to launch three new national identity cards in May this year, and has a target of providing them to about 104 million citizens across the country.
The three new national identity cards planned by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) include a bank-enabled National ID card, a social intervention card, and an optional ECOWAS National Biometric Identity Card.
Technical Adviser, Media, and Communications to the Director-General of NIMC, Ayodele Babalola, who disclosed this in an interview last Sunday, had said Nigerians would start getting the three national ID cards within one or two months of the launch.
But reacting to the statement, Onuesoke described the planned NIMC initiative as a big joke that would tantamount to the waste of the depleted national funds, taxpayers’ money and waste of time of the masses.
The former Delta State Governorship Aspirant on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said it was amazing that Nigerian leaders were always avoiding the main problems needed to be resolved in the country, but go after duplicated ones that may end up creating more problems for Nigerians.
He argued that it was better and probably more efficient to have one identity database that covers all Nigerians rather than multiple sectoral identity databases that may be a source of confusion or even a loophole for fraud.
Onuesoke, maintained that the government could just, as well, have focused on getting Nigerians to obtain the NIN means of identity just as he described the exercise of obtaining other identities as a waste of funds, time, human resources and misplacement of priorities.
“This country is a huge joke. Always avoiding the main problems that needed to be solved but rather going after artificial issues. We already have the BVN, NIN, PVC, driver’s license and international passport. Why do we need three national identity cards? What is really wrong with our leaders?
“At every slightest opportunity, they want to cash out by duplicating projects and subjecting the masses to another round of torture by going to queue for this arrant nonsense,” he lamented.
Onuesoke, advised the government to rescind the decision to create three identity cards, adding that they should create one identity with other features activated upon request.
“Why creating all this stress? Why not provide a card with the data in your database that will fit into all these three categories? Are we not in the digital age? Right now, Nigerians do not have the time to start queuing for one identity card or the other.
“One ID card is enough if the country is a sane country. The US has a Social Security Number and it covers everything. In a country with almost nothing to offer, we have too many IDs that serve no beneficial purpose to the people.
“What is the essence of multiple identifications for the same purpose in Nigeria? This is wasteful. You don’t even need an ID in the United Kingdom. Your name is already there. Just tell them your name and address.
“Even African countries like Togo, South Africa, and Ivory Coast use their ID card to vote. For Nigeria to work, we need a single working ID card and NIN will be better for that purpose.” Onuesoke insisted.
