ALLEGATION OF PAYMENT ROCKS NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER ENROLLMENT IN ENUGU
People wishing to enroll for the National Identification Number in some centers in Enugu state are being compelled to contribute money to power electricity generating sets for the exercise.
Radio Nigeria correspondent who monitors the enrollment in Enugu metropolis reports that all centers visited were using generating sets following continuous failure of public Power supply.
The National Identification enrollment is being conducted in 23 centers across the 17 Local Government Areas and 6 special centered in Enugu state.
Radio Nigeria visited some of the centered including those in Enugu North, South and East Local Government Areas to monitor the progress of the exercise.
All the centers and the state headquarters of the National Identity Management Commission NIM-C, where registration is also taking place, have electricity generating set each.
At Enugu South Local Government Area and NIM-C state headquarters, it was discovered that people were told to pay ₦200 for fuel and some registration materials that were in short supply.
Also, at Enugu East Local Government, the contribution was said to be voluntary and those who did not want to wait for a very long time for the enrollment were seen, paying.
However at Enugu North enrollment center, the situation was different as the people there told Radio Nigeria that they were not contributing any money despite the fact that they used generating set.
Officials of the NIM-C at the centers refused to comment on the issue, insisting that only the state Co-ordinator could speak on the matter.
In a reaction, the Enugu State Co-ordinator National Identity Management Commission, Mrs. Chizoba HBC-Ogboko said registration was free.
Mrs. HBC-Ogboko also explained the importance of the eleven digits contained in the national identification number and noted that it was being accepted in all public institutions in the country.
The Co-ordinator also said the commission was collaborating with the state and local governments to make the exercise a success.
CHINELO OZOALOR