Plans are on the way for a gradual
phasing out of the voters card to be
replaced by the National Identity
Cards in future elections in the
country. Minister of Information, Labaran Maku
who disclosed this after the Federal
Executive Council meeting yesterday
revealed that the council also
approved the sum of N2.1billion for
the printing of 33.5 million Permanent Voters Card by the Independent
National Electoral Commission, INEC. The minister said the permanent
Voter’s card which will have a life
span of ten years will contain unique
biometric features that will identify
the voter. According to the Minister, “following
the successful conduct of the
Nationwide Voters registration in
2011, the commission proposed to
print 73,500,000 permanent ?oters
cards to replace the temporary voters cards issued during the voters
registration. The commission printed 40,000,000
permanent cards in 2011 for the first
phase of the project which is in
progress. There is the need to print
and issue the remaining 35.000,000
permanent Voters card. “After deliberations, Council approved
the contract for the second phase of
the printing of Permanent Voters’s
Cards at the rate of N65.00 per card in
the sum of N2,117,500,000 with a
completion period of 6 months” he said. The minister explained that INEC
estimates that the permanent Voters
Cards will be used for elections in
2015 and 2019 after which the
National Identity Cards would be the
instrument for use in elections in the country. Also yesterday, the Federal Executive
approved the institutionalisation of a
six level national vocational
qualifications framework in Nigeria
and the placement of the national
vocational qualifications in the scheme of service. Minister of Education, Professor
Ruqayyatu Rufa’I who disclosed this
emphasised that the scheme is to
down play over reliance on paper
qualification and integrate skilled
professionals into the scheme of service both in the public and Private
sector. According to her, “as Nigeria aspires
to become a major player in the world
economy, the place of skilled and
competent workforce cannot be under
played. “A competent workforce necessary
for higher productivity and effective
implementation of development
projects are building blocks for the
economy “The phenomenon of vocational skills
framework as been embraced by
many countries as a vital scheme to
enhance development of competent
workforce and ensure that
qualifications to occupations are flexible, transparent and accountable. “As Nigeria transforms to one of the
world’s major economies, the greatest
asset needed is a competent
workforce, which the council believes
could be best realized under the
National Vocational Qualifications Framework (NVQF)” she said. Also presenting her progress report to
the council yesterday, the Minister of
Woman Affairs, Zainab Maina said
through the activities of the Ministry,
women were able to attain 36% of
cabinet positions while 26% of federal Permanent secretaries are
women. She said her ministry is working with
the national Assembly to strengthen
the laws again rape, adding that more
stringent measures would be
recommended as punishment for
those convicted of rape.

Source- vanguard

Nigeria is just too good at wasting money. I remember when Jega was demanding for billions to print voters card etc.

I think we should sometimes share money to every Nigerian.

5 trillion naira can give each citizen atleast 100,000 or more. That would be enough to start small business.