New National Identity Card (ID) Set To be issued

The Federal Government of Nigeria will soon commence a new process of National Identity Card registration throughout the country, according to news reports.

The new process is expected to begin in the next six months, adding that under the new system, fresh identity cards would be issued to Nigerians along with the ones currently in circulation.

For some 30 years Nigeria has been grappling—at huge financial costs—to establish a national ID card system. The scandal-riddled project came to crescendo in 2003 when three federal ministers were charged with corruption in connection with a $214m contract with SAGEM, a French firm.

The accused, former Internal Affairs Ministers Sunday Afolabi (late), Mahammed Shatta, and Dr Mohammed Shata former Minister of State in that ministry; former Labor Minister Hussain Akwanga; and former Enugu State governor, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, it is interesting this man is now the chairman of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party.

None of those characters were ever prosecuted; in fact the charges were later dropped. The project went on and was executed haphazardly.

Now, we are back on the road to a national ID card, once again. Back in 2003 at the commencement of the failed project, former president Obasanjo, whose administration initiated the idea, said “the scheme [ID card project] will help government planning and to fight fraud and corruption”. The statement couldn’t have had more ironic implications…the project have proved to be nothing but a cesspool of scam, scandal and sleaze!

Source: GrandioseParlor

Okay!

The last time this exercise was conducted,my I.D card got missing and I did not receive any,I hope this time around there will be better modalities.

I have got the old one. Do I need to obtain the new one? Oosh, how I dread having to go through the rigours again!

It is all new.