Abia launches ID scheme

The Abia State Government has launched a social identity number scheme.

The state government said the Abia State Social Identity Number (ASSIN) would help it in planning, addressing unemployment issues, demographic distribution of infrastructure and resources, among others.

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Gov Okezie Ikpeazu who enrolled in the scheme during the launching, said the identity number would serve as a pass that would guide relationships between citizens and the government.

He added that ASSIN would also be required in school enrolment and other businesses citizens had with the government.

The governor explained that it had become a civic responsibility of all Abia citizens to enroll in the scheme, which he said had been made user-friendly for enrollees to register free of charge from the comfort of their homes.

Gov Ikpeazu added that he was looking forward to the digitalisation of the activities of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state, and that when fully operational, the scheme would make it difficult for civil servants to be paid without the number.

The Permanent Secretary and Executive Secretary, Abia State Planning Commission, Dr Nnenna Chikezie, described ASSIN as an identity management platform that would capture users’ biometrics.

She also said Abia people in the diaspora could enroll on the scheme using an internet-enabled android phone, explaining further that the need for the scheme was long overdue as it was required for planning purposes, including capturing the state’s developmental strides.

Dr Chikezie added that two million Abia citizens were targeted for capture and registration in 12 months as the ASSIN would be the identification for anybody desiring services from the Abia government.