₦airaland Forum

Nigerians to get new ID cards

By Elor Nkereuwem

December 6, 2010 01:58AM



After 10 years, Nigeria is set to launch a fresh set of national identity cards and as early as January next year, people may be required to line up for the new bio-data registration process. The National Identity Management Commission which is in charge of the scheme assured Nigerians that the new cards will be different from the ones issued between 2001 and 2006.

Sources at the commission told NEXT that the project involves the creation of a new identity database and goes beyond merely providing citizens and legal residents with an identity document as was done in the previous 2001 SAGEM project.

“The National Identity Management System is a quantum leap from the SAGEM project which was initiated in 2001 to provide an integrated card production facility.

This 2001 technology did not offer a unique identification number or a secure platform to assert one’s identity without a card. SAGEM produced cards, but not an identity system. This database is one of the three components of the emerging national identity management system, the other two being a secure identity document and a system for authenticating and verifying identity,” a source within the commission, who asked not to be named, said.

Anthony Okwujafor, the spokesperson for the Commission, confirmed that new ID cards will soon be rolled out. “The new ID card will have a unique number for every person and would be usable anywhere in the world,” he said.

A more secure system

The National Identity Management Commission said one of the benefits of the new arrangement is that it will provide a common database from which other government agencies and the private sector can find an authentic identification process.

“At this pace, NIMC is driving the prompt achievement of the presidential directive on the fast-track harmonisation and consolidation of biometric projects in government agencies. When completed, the national identity management system will ensure that every registered person has unique national identification number that will enable that person to assert his or her identity even in the absence of a card. The system will also ensure that its database is linked to those of key agencies such as the FRSC, immigration, while a verification service will enable third-parties (banks, employers, schools) to verify the identities of the persons they are transacting business with. The fibre optic link between the national identity data centre and the relevant government agencies has been commissioned by NIMC,” our source said.

Officials also disclosed that the commission has already begun test running the project using some specific government agencies and ministries.

“NIMC and its private sector partners have already completed the biometric registration of civil servants on behalf of the office of the Head of Service. This civil service database is fully integrated with the national identity database. The biometric harmonisation for government agencies is going well. The commission has also worked with INEC on the standards and specifications for the voters’ register so that it can meet the harmonisation requirements for the databases held by various government agencies.”

A cesspit

The idea of issuing national identification cards to Nigerians was mooted in 2001 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2003, large scale fraud was discovered in the project leading to the arraignment of three ministers. They were charged with corruption in connection with a $214m contract with SAGEM, a French firm, which was supposed to implement the project.

Those accused included former internal affairs minister Sunday Afolabi, Mohammed Shatta, a former minister of state in that ministry; and former labour minister Hussain Akwanga. Mr Afolabi died before the case was concluded and since then none of those charged have been prosecuted and the charges were subsequently dropped. The project went on and was executed haphazardly.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5650309-146/nigerians_to_get_new_id_cards.csp

Nah, they didn't that's why we need someone who could, and if Jonathan couldn't then he should do Nigerians a big favor by stepping down from the race---its not a birthright afterall

Again, goodluck is responsible because he's the head of government, and his duty is to ensure that taxpayers money is not wastefully spent, the fact that it's the status quo does not necessarily mean it has to remain the same, Nigerians need a man who could stand his feet.

violent:
What's all the shout for? its my country duh!

Nope, he's not the problem, and neither does he have a clue on how to address the problem. . .to lead Nigeria, you need balls of steel, and clearly Jonathan is a p****

what's the use of having a president who is too fragile challenge the status quo? Perhaps Mr President is afraid of the powers Bankole and Mr Mark wields and will happily lick their árses just to secure the PDP presidential ticket?

Patent dispute may disrupt 2011 poll
Published on 02 December 2010 with 0 comments
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ACHILLEUS-CHUD UCHEGBU (Abuja Bureau Chief)

ATTEMPT by President Goodluck Jonathan and Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, to deliver free and fair elections in 2011 may fail if issues of denial and infringement on patents, allegedly belonging to Bedding Holdings Limited are not urgently resolved.

The company has been at loggerheads with INEC over alleged infringement on its patents as they affect the transparent ballot boxes and electronic collapsible transparent ballot boxes for which several law suits subsist in court.

In a letter to President Jonathan complaining about gross infringement on its patents, dated November 25, 2010 signed by Chief Assam E. Assam (SAN), and received at the President�s office on November 29, 2010, lawyers to the patent owner warned that unless the issues are quickly resolved, the upcoming elections may be jeopardized.

In the letter entitled: "Sustained conspiracy by Emchai Ltd and INEC to defraud and infringe patents and designs rights as a basis for the award of contract for the supply of collapsible transparent ballot boxes for the 2011 general elections by the Federal Executive Council," Chief Assam said the infringement of the patent rights of Bedding Holdings Limited would greatly jeopardize free and fair elections in the country next year.

According to him, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) may have been deceived by a memo from INEC to making it believe that Emchai Ltd was the original patentee for collapsible transparent ballot boxes for which a supply contract had been awarded by INEC. It said Emchai Ltd is not a repository of patents for the said boxes.

Noting that Bedding Holdings Limited patent to the collapsible transparent ballot boxes are not in doubt, Chief Assam reminded President Jonathan that "by virtue of certificate of registration of patent dated January 12, 1998, the Honourable Minister of Commerce and Industry, on behalf of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, issued our client with the registration of patents rights No RP 12994 and the registration of industrial design rights No RD 5946 in and over transparent ballot boxes."

"Also, by virtue of a certificate of registration of patents right No RP 16642 and registration of industrial design rights No RD 13841 both dated November 27, 2006, our client was issued with the patent and design rights in and over transparent ballot boxes and its electronic version named electronic collapsible transparent ballot boxes (ECTBB)," he stated.

Chief Assam further told President Jonathan that the effect of the certificates and "by virtue of the combined effects of Section 42(1)(2) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, and Section 6(1) of the Patent and Design Act, our client reserves the exclusive right to manufacture, import, sell, produce, use and otherwise deal with the said boxes to the exclusion of any other person whosoever, including but not limited to INEC, except with the prior and express consent, authorization, approval and license of our client to that effect."

[b]According to the letter, the patentee had, standing on its exclusive rights to the products, granted in 2003, license to INEC, to use its designs for which 500,000 units of ballot boxes were procured for the conduct of the 2003 general elections, wondering why the same commission that sought its rights in 2003 has now decided to infringe on it by approving Emchai Ltd as patent owner, instead of abiding by the patent laws.

It frowned at the "deceptive and misleading" fact presented before the FEC by INEC which recognised Emchai Limited as owner of patent for the collapsible transparent ballot boxes, adding that such an infringement is capable of drawing INEC into a controversy that could mar the conduct of the 2011 general elections.

It said: "Our clients were therefore palpably shocked to learn from the media on Thursday, November 25, 2010 that INEC had, using fraudulently and falsely contrived documents, successfully sought and obtained the ratification of the Federal Executive Council for the award of 150,000 units of the collapsible transparent ballot boxes (of our client) at a unit cost of N13,000.00 making total contract sum of N1.950 billion without the prior consent, license and authority of our client being the rightful and bona fide owners of the patent and copyright designs of the transparent ballot boxes and/or electronic collapsible transparent ballot boxes contrary to the clear provision of sections 6 (1)(2), 19 and 25 of the Patent and Design Act 2004."

Accusing INEC of deliberate infringement, Chief Assam said to President Jonathan: "Mr. President, please permit us to bring to your attention the fact that as at the presentation of this memorandum to the Federal Executive Council for the award of the said contract, INEC knew and was aware that the said fraudulent patent was the subject of various litigations in the Federal High Court," adding that "our client had since 2007 been in court seeking to nullify the fraudulently obtained patent, the basis for the contract approved by the FEC on grounds of various breaches of their patent and design rights."[/b]

Firm sues INEC for N3.5bn over ballot boxes

By Lemmy Ughegbe
Thursday, February 20, 2003

ABUJA—A FIRM, La’Satome Nigeria Limited, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court for alleged usurpation of its patent right on the transparent ballot boxes to be used for the April 19, 2003 polls, claiming N3.5 billion as damages from the electoral body and two others. In suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/50/2003 between La’Satome Nigeria Limited (Plaintiff) and Bedding Holdings Limited, Registrar of Patents and Designs and INEC (1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively), the plaintiff contend that the patent licence on the boxes was its and as such INEC had no right to import the boxes directly or through the 1st defendant (Bedding Holdings Ltd.).

At yesterday’s hearing, the plaintiff via a motion ex-parte (application of urgency), therefore, prayed the court to grant it an interim injunction restraining the electoral body from importing by itself or through the 1st defendant or paying for the importation of the transparent ballot to itself or the 1st defendant. In a statement of claim filed by counsel to the plaintiff, Uche Agomoh, the plaintiff averred that "it is the original inventor of the transparent ballot box which the electoral body expects to use for the April general elections across the nation."

The plaintiff further averred that it holds the registered patent no. RP 12994 and registered design number RP 5946 in respect of the box which was designed in 1987 by its Managing Director, Mr. Osato Ize-Iyamu, as a young entrepreneur in the fabrication business.

Consequently, the plaintiff is seeking an order of court transferring all rights in the application for and in patent No RP 12994 and design No RD 5946 in respect of the transparent ballot box to it. It also prays for an order setting aside the licence procured by INEC (from Bedding Holdings) which gives it the wherewithal to import the transparent box. The plaintiff is demanding N3.5 billion as damages for loses suffered by it as a result of the usurpation of its patent licence and other consequential losses. In his ruling on the application, the presiding judge, Justice Jonah Adah, appealed to the applicant to step down the application, pointing out the implication of the order sought therein to the forthcoming general elections.

However, he granted an order for accelerated hearing in to the substantive suit because, according to him, the final determination of the action expeditiously was needed.

That the last general elections were fraught with many irregularities is no longer news. What might be news to many is that the Independent National Electoral Election (INEC) acted with impunity on its contractual obligations to its customers.

As a body widely known to have petite or no respect for the rule of law, the Independent National Electoral Commission almost operated as if it were above the laws of the land. Aside from disobeying court orders, INEC was also found wanting in areas of contractual obligations.

This loathsome side of INEC was brought to fore recently when Bedding Holdings Limited instituted an action against INEC and seven others to compel INEC to compensate her for infringement of her patent right. Bedding Holdings Limited asked the court to confiscate over N3.5 billion balance payment for the production of the transparent ballot boxes used in the last general elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission infringed on the patent right of Bedding Nigeria Limited by using the ballot boxes without the consent of the company.

To further show the little respect INEC has for the laws of the land, it was not represented at the court when the case came up for mentioning. INEC, however, filed an objection asking the court to strike out the suit for the plaintiff�s failure to disclose reasonable cause of action.

This is an attempt by INEC to pervert the cause of justice. By throwing out INEC�s objection, the honourable court must be praised for living up to the expectations of Bedding Holdings Limited in the company�s attempt to pursue its rights.

It is worthy to note that if INEC is allowed to go unpunished with this magnitude of flagrant abuse of power, most individuals and corporate bodies that are interested in doing legitimate business with government agencies will be disillusioned. The country�s image both locally and internationally will wane drastically.

Therefore, our efforts at attracting foreign investors will be an exercise in futility. Or how else can one explain a situation where some government agencies can not be compelled to fulfill its contractual obligations to its customers?

The damage caused by pirates in this country cannot be over-emphasized. The film industry is fighting pirates on a daily basis and pirated goods are being destroyed to put a stop to this ugly trend. The treatment meted out to Bedding Holdings Limited is not different from the harm that pirates are causing to the film industry.

It is common practice these days for some government agencies to request for proposals from contractors on major projects. Once these proposals are submitted by determined contractors, the jobs end up being given to mistresses and lady friends of the chief executives of the organization without the consent of the person whose original idea is being used. This wicked and criminal act is seriously gaining ground. All hands must be on deck to curtail the trend.

A punitive measure against INEC would serve as deterrent to other would be defaulters and also build public confidence in government institutions. At the end of the journey, no public institution would perceive itself as too big to be subjected to the laws of the land.

LeoMax:
Its simple to beat this legal copyright issues; Instea of calling the machine, DATA CAPTURING MACHINE, INEC should call the machine, "election database equipment". Patent rights and sole distributionship rights can be averted with different Brand name for the same product. "Indomie", O-noodle" Mimi" all same shiit. but no copyright and sole distribution rights evoked.

The plaintiff is insisting that it was the only company with the patent right to produce Electronic Collapsible Transparent Ballox Boxes, ECTBB, as well as the patentee in respect of Proof of Address System/Scheme, PASS, used for the collation and collection of the names, age, sex, Address, finger print, geographical description and location of various places in the country, including the bio-data of every person resident in Nigeria.

In a motion ex-parte, the plaitiff accused INEC of infringing on its patent right by contracting the 3 external companies to produce voters register for the 2011 general elections without first seeking and obtaining a written license, consent and authority from it.

MOORCH MOORE:
How do I send a post or topic that will appear on home page apart from forum category

enite011:
How can i delete my post? Pls help me.

Privy:
Thanks a lot. I have ben looking for a way to post something since.

alj harem:
it is not only ironsi death but the whole coup in general

Krayola:
That one na Jazz. The jazz no dey work for nou camp

Krayola:
heenemies!!

NO TEAM CAN BEAT US IN THE FORM WE ARE IN!! KO POSIBBLE SE!!

kafanchan:
Dem say Higuain no dey play.