Yemisi Izuora
The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has formally taken over the Ecosystem Coordination Strategic Unit (ECSU) of the Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) Project from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The handing over ceremony took place between Engr. Festus Yusufu Daudu of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Mr. Andrew David Adejo at the conference room of the Political and Economy Affairs Office of OSGF, Shagari House.
The Permanent Secretary, Political and Economic Affairs, Mr Andrew David Adejo, in his opening remarks pointed out that it is in a bid by the Federal government to improve service delivery to Nigerians and reduced the issue of insecurity that led to the transfer of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
In his response, Engr. Festus Yusufu Daudu, said that the public service has the same objective everywhere which is to provide quality service to humanity and make life better for the people. “We should have it at the back of our mind that we are in the public service to render services to humanity” Engr. Daudu stressed.
He assured the staff of the relocating Unit that they are joining the Ministry with capable hands and urged them to continue with the team work spirit which makes life easier and better for humanity and that he as a person believes in Team work.
In his words, “there is no need to hide information because if you do, you will have no room to either improve yourself or receive more information. Therefore you should feel more open and be a team player” The Engr. noted.
Receiving the staff of the Ecosystem Coordination Strategic Unit, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Engr. Festus Yusufu Daudu stated that it is a groundbreaking ceremony which would further enable the government to coordinate, check and curb the insecurity problem through the linkage of National Identity Number Registration (NIN) to SIM of individuals in the country.
In his words, every household has one form of contact or the other with communication equipment which uses SIM with that; it will be easy to track down any criminal activities from any household or from any group or individuals. He therefore used the opportunity to welcome the staff of the Ecosystem Coordination Strategic Unit (ECSU) to the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
The project is being assisted by the World Bank, Agence France De Development and the European Investment Bank, the project is to increase the number of persons with a national ID number, issued by a robust and inclusive foundation ID system that facilitates their access to service.
The Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) project is structured around four main components namely; strengthening the legal and institutional framework to reform the ID legal; regulatory and institutional framework. Establishing a robust and inclusive foundational ID System; to support the harmonization of existing functional ID system and the establishment of a digital foundation ID platform that issues free of charge a unique national ID number (NIN)’; Enabling Access to services through IDS –the integration between public and private sector services and fundamental ID system to facilitate access to services and Project Management and Stakeholder Engagement.