The ongoing implementation of the National Identity Management System (NIMS) received a boost with the recent approval of the sum of N30.066billion? for the accelerated implementation of the ‘back end’ component of the project by the federal government.
With this approval, the commission will now focus on the accelerated delivery of the NIMS by December 2013.
The Chief Press Secretary and Head, Corporate Communication of the Commission, Mr. Anthony Okwudiafor,in a release issued yesterday explained that the NIMS would bring significant benefits to the economy, in particular, it would enhance the work of the law enforcement agencies? towards maintenance of law and order, preservation of lives and property and the fight against corruption.
Okwudiafor noted that the project, when completed,would? deepen access to consumer credit and thus stimulate local production and commerce, create new economic? and employment opportunities and help launder Nigeria’s image.
Contrary to views expressed by some people,Okwudiafor stated that the approval was not for the award of any contract in the sum of N30.066billion and that It was also not for the commencement of another project that was? different from the NIMS.
He stated that the money which would be provided to the commission over the next three years (starting from the last quarter of 2011) consists of a sum of N23.074billion for the procurement of the redesigned, multi-application national identity card utilising advances in smart card technology and having ICAO compliant Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) making it an acceptable future travel document.