President Goodluck Jonathan has asked the National Identity Card Management Commission to ensure that the issuance process of the new e-card is prompt and swift enough to enable many more Nigerians obtain their e-ID cards, as soon as possible.
While speaking at the unveiling of the e-card, he urged all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the private sector, to key into the project, following the benefits from its designed functionalities.
According to the President, the regime of duplication of biometric databases must give way to harmonization and unification with the e-ID scheme, which shall be the primary database.
He asked the commission to also ensure that all registrable persons are enrolled into the National Identity Database and that all MDAs involved in data capture activities, align their activities, with a view to switching over to the NIMC infrastructure.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, while extolling the beauty of the card and its multiple purposes, expressed happiness that the National Identity Management Commission has tried to survive despite various challenges.
The Director-General of the commission, Chris Onyemenem, in a presentation, took the audience through the uses of the card. According to him, the card would solve the challenge of proof of identity, the way no proof of identity has.
There were also testimonies from the operators of the system on what the identity card could do for the holders anywhere in the world.
President Jonathan unveilled the card, and used it to carry out some financial transactions via the ATM.
Top government officials were present for the presidential launch and unveiling of the national e-id card, including the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and the Minister of Finance and Supervising Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.