The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on Wednesday said that it had so far registered 160,000 persons, out of the 1.7 million eligible for the exercise in Plateau. The state’s NIMC Coordinator, Mr Paul Gofwan, made this known while interacting with traditional rulers and local government chairmen in Jos. According to him, the low number is due to the non-take off of NIMC’s offices in some local government areas in the state. ”The state office in Plateau commenced enrollment in January 2013; subsequently, other centres in local governments like Jos South, Jos South, Bokkos, Pankshin, Kanke have commenced the exercise. ”Other centres include Government House, Jos, Nigerian Air Force base, Jos, police headquarters, prison headquarters, Jos, Plateau State Polytechnic and University of Jos,” he said. The official said that approvals had been given for new registration centres in Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Quan’Pan and Bassa. He said these centres are currently awaiting supply of equipment, adding that other centres in Shendam, Mangu, Mikang, Ease and in Jos North will soon be approved. Gofwan assured that with the expected coming on stream of the aforementioned centres, appreciable progress would be made in the exercise. The state coordinator emphasized that the registration would be a continuous process and there was no closing date as being rumoured. “However, a date for the implementation of the regulation on the mandatory use of the National Identity Number (NIN) has been fixed for January 9, 2016. “Beginning from that date, certain transactions will be become impossible without the use of NIN. “Transactions like account opening in banks, obtaining driver license, international passports, NHIS services and even land deals among others,” he said. According to him, the database that will be generated could be used for security checks, economic empowerment, as well as for planning and growth purposes. He appealed for cooperation from state and local governments as well as traditional rulers for a successful registration. The Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Gyang Buba, who chaired the interaction, observed that many people would not be registered before implementation. Buba blamed the planning of NIMC, and expressed surprise that the programme that started since 2013, had registered only 160,000. “If it took your organisation two years to capture 160,000 people, one wonders how long it will take you to capture the remaining people. Certainly not in the next four month. “The time is not feasible; the commission should consider reviewing date. Many people have not registered because you are yet to even set up offices in local government areas,” he said. The Gbong Gwom said that the traditional council, in collaboration with council chairmen, would present their case to the commission’s DG. Chairman, Pankshin Local Government, Mr Stephen Jings, in his remarks, advised the commission to collaborate with Independent National Electoral Commission to ease their job. (NAN).

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