Monrovia, Liberia – The National Identification Registry has unveiled plans aimed at increasing the number of people holding the national identification cards by one million by the end of this year.
In accordance with this plan, official communications have been sent to all public educational institutions, cooperative organizations, and concession companies in order to get everyone at those organizations issued national identification cards, according to NIR Executive Director Andrews Peters.
Speaking at the first press conference at his office in Congo Town, Mr. Peters added that talks between the NIR and other organizations are also ongoing. He praised his predecessor for being able to register over 600,000 people over the years and promised to register one million more people by the end of next year.
According to Mr. Peters, the Liberian government has already paid Tecno Brand $3.02 million USD for the establishment of the NIR, and the Finance Ministry has promised to pay the remaining $2.08 million owed to the company.
He claimed that the law creating the NIR grants the organization the authority to guarantee that all Liberians and foreign residents, starting at the age of six, receive genuine social security and identification numbers.
Any person who enters the boundaries of these institutions must receive a national identification card, according to the labor and education ministries, public schools, state-owned universities, and concession corporations.
The NIR Executive Director stated that in order for the organization to be able to provide an identification registry to those who cannot afford the costs in welfare facilities, the elderly, and other vulnerable persons, he will also be seeking support from the government and foreign partners for funding.
We are also in talks with the National Commission on Higher Education, the Liberia Agricultural Company, Arcelor Mittal-Liberia, the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo Information Services, and every bank, as well as the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation, all GSM providers, and the Liberia Agricultural Company, to make it a requirement that everyone living in the country be identified and given an identification card.
Peters stated that the NIR has successfully opened 15 centers in each of the sub-political divisions’ capitals and has started operating more facilities specifically for the purpose of renewing identification cards that have expired.
Because it would link its rooster to the voters’ registration list at the National Elections Commission, the NIR chief is pleading with the government to increase financing for the institution in order to speed up and improve services and thereby assist minimize voter trucking.
”The NEC voters registration roll and the NIR rooster are connected, which will eventually cut down on the enormous sums of money needed to create VRR each time there are presidential and legislative elections.’‘
Since the lawmakers are preoccupied with the nation’s election process, Mr. Peters expressed the hope that the national legislature would give the NIR considerable consideration when increasing the allotment in the upcoming budget year.
Reported by: Augustine Octavius
Contact: +231777463963
Email: augustineoctavius@gmail.com
