The Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, has said countless infractions and unwholesome practices were detected in National Identity Number (NIN) enrolment and modification processes.
Coker-Odusote in a statement on Thursday added that most of the reports of infraction were done by some of the commission’s Front-End Partners.
“On assumption of office, we observed countless infractions and unwholesome practices in the NIN enrolment and modification services. Most of the reports of infraction, upon investigation, were done by some of our Front-End Partners”, the NIMC DG was quoted in the statement signed by her Technical Adviser on Media & Communications, Ayodele Babalola.
She therefore charged the agency’s Front End Partners (FEPs) to be good ambassadors of the commission.
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She also warned that NIMC would not spare any of them found engaged in unwholesome practices.
Coker-Odusote said this in Abuja at the opening of a 4-day training for the first batch of newly revalidated Front End Partners, the statement said on Thursday.
The DG assured participants that the revalidation was a management decision to sanitize the enrolment process, while also auditing invoices inherited by her administration on the outstanding debts owed the FEPs.
“I am not exonerating NIMC staff completely but as you may be aware, on different occasions, I led sting operations to some of our offices, where some staff were caught red handed perpetrating unwholesome conducts.
She said: “And don’t forget that I inherited huge debts owed FEPs for over two years. Some of the invoices and claims were questionable, requiring proper auditing.
“The rot in the process and system left me with no option than to take deliberate steps towards sanitizing the enrolment process.
“And to this end, I directed that NIN enrolment activities at all FEP centres be suspended temporarily, pending the outcome of a revalidation exercise.
“My decision to direct the revalidation of all FEPs was not targeted at any one or group. It was a step towards sanitizing the system and processes, while ensuring the integrity of data in the country’s identity database. It was also one of the steps towards proper auditing of the claims made by some of our FEPs. The revalidation exercise was part of the steps towards ensuring compliance with the highest standards of data security among the FEPs.
“Please be advised that the revalidation exercise is being implemented in phases. This is just the first and not the last.
“Let me use this medium to remind you all that NIN enrolment is free of charge in Nigeria. My administration has zero tolerance for corruption. We shall therefore not spare anyone found perpetrating corrupt practices or any other form of infractions.”
While thanking President Bola Tinubu for his support, the DG reiterated her earlier promise to ensure that FEPs with genuine claims are paid whatever they are owed very soon.
Commenting on the development, representatives of the newly revalidated Front-End Partners, Haruna Abdu of MURNA Foundation, Osah Uche Prince of GOMFID Mutiservices and Stellamaris Oseruo of JOREAL Nigeria Limited, took turns to commend the new NIMC management for taking steps towards sanitizing the system.
While describing the revalidation process as transparent, they urged the commission to strengthen its monitoring processes to ensure that no loopholes are left for exploitation in the enrollment exercise.
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