NATIONAL IDENTITY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
PRESS STATEMENT
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA UNVEILS PLANS TO LAUNCH A NEW NATIONAL IDENTITY CARD WITH PAYMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICE DELIVERY CAPABILITIES
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) incollaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigeria Inter-bank Settlement System(NIBSS), has launched an innovative identity solution with payment functionality for all types of social and financial services to be powered by AfriGO, a National domestic card scheme.
The National ID card, layered with verifiable National dentity features, is backed by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, which mandates NIMC to enrol and issue a General Multipurpose card (GMPC) to Nigerians and legal residents.
This card will address the demand for physical identification enabling cardholders prove their identity, access government and private social services, facilitate financial inclusion fordisenfranchised Nigerians, empower citizens, as well as encourage increased participation in nation-building. Only registered citizens and legal residents with the National Identification Number (NIN) will be eligibleto request the card.
The card, which will be produced according to ICAO standards, is positioned as thecountry’s default national identity card. In addition to this functionality, cardholders will also be able touse the cards as debit or prepaid cards by linking same to bank accounts of their choice.
The card shall enable eligible persons especially those financially excluded from social and financial services have accessto multiple government interventions programs.
In line with data protection regulation and public interest, NIMC remains committed to protecting cardholders’ personal data and will ensure compliance with international standards on data security protocols as security features that protect the confidentiality and safety of users’ information.
Key features will include:
• Machine-readable Zone (MRZ) in conformation with ICAO for e-passport information
• Identity card Issue Date and document number in line with ICAO standard
• Additional features include travel, health insurance information, microloans, agriculture, foodstamps, transport, and energy subsidies,etc.
• Nigeria’s quick response code (NQR) containing the national identification number
• Biometric authentication, such as fingerprint and pictures, as the primary medium for identity verification through the data on the card chip
• Offline capability that allows transactions in areas with limited network coverage or zero infrastructure connectivity
• Functionality as a debit and prepaid card catering to both banked and unbanked individuals
Request for cards by registered citizens and legal residents will be made available online, at any commercial bank, various agencies or agents participating in multiple programs and/or any NIMC offices nationwide.
For further information, please visit www.nimc.gov.ng
Signed:
Kayode Adegoke
Head, Corporate Communications
Friday, 5 April 2024.
FG Unveils Plans To Launch A New National Identity Card With Special Features
Senegal’s President: Bassirou Fayeone Publicly Decleared Personal Assets
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the newly elected president of Senegal, said he owned a house and two vehicles. Faye made this known to the public in a publication he released on March 22, 2024, two days before the presidential election.
The 44-year-old candidate won the presidential election held on Sunday, March 24, 2024. The opposition leader emerged as the youngest democratically elected president in West Africa. In the publication titled “Heritage Declaration of the Candidate Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye,” the president-elect listed all his assets and liabilities since October 2007.
In the document, Faye said he owned only one house built on 200 m2 of land in Mermoz allocated by the tax union (a family home since 2021) and built from 2017 to 2021, partly with his own funds and partly with loans settled. The ex-tax officer said he owned two vehicles, which are the Focus 2012 acquired second-hand in 2019 worth 6,500,000 FCFA and the Ford Explorer Platinum acquired second-hand in 2022 worth 19,000,000 FCFA.
Faye, who was elected president barely two weeks after he was released from prison, said he had money in two bank accounts as of March 19, 2024, one with 3,276,046 FCFA and the other with 786,782 FCFA.
The president-elect also declared undeveloped lands; some of these include a terrain of 80 m/40 acquired in 2017 worth 3,000,000 FCFA and agricultural land of 4.3ha in the commune of Sandiara acquired in 2022 worth 15,050,000 FCFA. Faye also listed his liabilities in the document, including a 30,000,000 FCFA advantage loan taken on September 5, 2022, an 8,000,000 FCFA payroll loan taken out on August 22, 2022, and a 10,000,000 FCFA loan from a friend.
However, the president-elect has promised to govern the West African country with humility and transparency. “In electing me, the Senegalese people have decided on a break with a past,” Faye told journalists on Monday in his first public appearance since the election. “I promise to govern with humility and transparency.”
African Leaders Urged To Emulate Faye, As Senegal President Makes Assets Public
African leaders have been asked to emulate the new Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye by declaring their assets publicly. The call was made by a civil society organization, The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education, CHRICED, in a statement released on Tuesday to mark Faye’s inauguration as President.
DAILY POST reports that Faye, 44, won the March 24, 2024 presidential election in Senegal to become the youngest democratically elected President in West Africa. As candidate of the opposition African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity, PASTEF, Faye scored 54.3 per cent of the votes to defeat other contestants, including his main rival from the governing coalition, Amadou Ba, a former prime minister.
Already, Faye has made his assets known to the public in a publication titled ‘Heritage Declaration of the Candidate Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye’. The publication, posted on his Facebook page, contained all his assets and liabilities since October 2007. Faye said he owned only one house built on 200 m2 of land in Mermoz allocated by the tax union (a family home since 2021) and built from 2017 to 2021, partly with his own funds and partly with loans settled.
He also disclosed that he has two vehicles – a Focus 2012 acquired second-hand in 2019 worth 6,500,000 FCFA and a Ford Explorer Platinum acquired second-hand in 2022 worth 19,000,000 FCFA. Faye also listed undeveloped plots of land among his assets, including a 80 m/40 plot acquired in 2017 worth 3,000,000 FCFA and a 4.3ha agricultural land acquired in 2022 worth 15,050,000 FCFA.
In the publication, Faye added that he has money in two bank accounts as of March 19, 2024. One of the accounts has 3,276,046 FCFA, while the other has a total sum of 786,782 FCFA. In the document, Faye went further to declare his liabilities, which include a 30,000,000 FCFA loan taken on September 5, 2022, an 8,000,000 FCFA payroll loan taken on August 22, 2022, and a 10,000,000 FCFA loan from a friend.
In a statement by its Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim Zikirullahi, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education, CHRICED, commended Faye for publicly declaring his assets. CHRICED also noted that Faye’s action should be emulated by other African leaders, as it underscores a commitment to transparency and accountability.
“CHRICED is pleased to see President Faye’s commendable start in publicly declaring his assets. This is a crucial step that demonstrates his commitment to the welfare of the people.
Transparency and accountability are fundamental principles of effective governance, and any government official, whether elected or appointed, who chooses not to disclose their assets publicly raises suspicions about their intentions.
“It is important for leaders to lead by example and show that they have nothing to hide. By openly declaring his assets, President Faye is setting a positive precedent for other government officials to follow.
“This move no
t only builds trust with the public but also helps to prevent corruption and unethical behavior. Transparency in asset declaration can help to prevent conflicts of interest and ensure that government officials are acting in the best interests of the people they serve. It also allows for greater scrutiny and oversight, which is essential for holding leaders accountable for their actions.
“We commend President Faye of Senegal for his commitment to transparency and accountability, and we hope that other ECOWAS leaders will follow his example in order to promote good governance and uphold the trust of the people,” CHRICED said. CHRICED, in the same vein, urged Faye to rededicate his administration to transparent, accountable and responsible leadership, with the rule of law and respect for the rights and freedoms of Senegalese people as the “immutable central value”.
Noting that Senegal recently discovered oil in commercial quantities, which is expected to grow the country’s revenue, CHRICED advised Faye to prioritize national interest and the well-being of Senegalese people in contract negotiations and revenue management structures for the anticipated oil revenue, to avoid going the way of nations like Nigeria, where abundant oil resources had failed to manifest in better living conditions for citizens.
Observing that “to many citizens and residents of West Africa, ECOWAS is considered a club of presidents for their own protection and preservation”, CHRICED further noted that Faye’s emergence presents a new opportunity for the voice of young Africans in the governance and administration of the ECOWAS Commission. Further setting an agenda for the new Senegalese leader, the civil society organisation urged him to work towards the revival of ECOWAS.
“The regional body, which was initially conceived for the promotion of free movement of residents and economic partnership, has been a victim of poor leadership in the sub-region as successive ECOWAS Presidents struggle with legitimacy and other internal political challenges of their own and the demand of the office of the presidency of ECOWAS.
“As a result, the ‘community of people’ promised through the reforms of the ECOWAS Commission has remained elusive while the region continues to struggle with corruption, lack of accountability, poverty, mass unemployment, widespread inequality, and, most recently, insecurity that poses severe threats to democracy in the region.
“We hope that President Faye will mobilize the necessary will to influence and steer ECOWAS towards the original vision of the regional body and the needs of citizens and residents of the region,” it stated.
Zakatul Al-fitr And Zakah On Wealth? – Islam for Muslims
As Muslims, we are required to belief the five pillars of Islam, and one of these is giving zakat (zakat on wealth). It’s important to note that zakat al-fitr (also
Brothers and sisters, let us not forget that the time for giving zakat al-fitr is fast approaching. Remember that this must be paid before Eid al-Fitr, so make sure you fulfill this obligation in a timely manner.
May Allah accept our good deeds and make it easy for us to fulfill our duties towards Him. Ameen.
Bobrisky Pleads Guilty, Convicted By Court For Abusing Naira
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday convicted controversial cross-dresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky for abusing the Naira.
Justice Abimbola Awogboro convicted him after the review of the facts of the case.
In his allocutus, Bobrisky told the court that he was not aware of the law on abusing the naira.
He said that he is a social media influencer with over five million followers.
The judge then told him that ignorance of the law was not an excuse.
He said, “I know, My Lord. My Lord, I wish that you could give me a second chance to use my platform to inform and educate my followers about spraying money.
“I would do a video on my page and I will educate people about spraying money.
“I will not repeat it again. I regret my actions.”
Earlier, Bobrisky was arraigned on four counts of naira abuse preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The cross-dresser who refers to himself as “Mummy of Lagos” pleaded guilty to the charges
NERC Fines AEDC ₦200 Million For Violation Of The New Tariff
NERC Fines AEDC ₦200 Million for Violation of the New Tariff Order, Directs Customer Refunds
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (“Commission”) has taken enforcement action against the Abuja Electricity Distribution Plc (“AEDC”) for non-compliance with the Supplementary Order to the April 2024 Multi-Year Tariff Order 2024 for AEDC (the “Order”).
AEDC has been fined ₦200,000,000 (Two Hundred Million Naira) for failure to comply with the prescribed customer band classifications for the tariff billing.
This decision follows a detailed review and customer feedback, which revealed that AEDC had applied the new tariff to all customer bands, contrary to the Order, which was designed to ensure fair billing practices.
AEDC is therefore mandated to:
Reimburse all customers in Bands B, C, D and E respectively that were billed above the allowed customer categories/tariff bands provided in the Order.
Reimburse through the provision of the balance of customer tokens that the affected customers would be entitled to receive at the applicable rates and all token reimbursements shall be issued to the affected customers by 11 April 2024.
Pay the sum of ₦200,000,000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira) as a fine for the flagrant breach of the Commission’s Order.
File evidence of compliance with the directives in a & c with the Commission by 12 April 2024.
The action by the Commission underscores its commitment to protecting consumer rights and ensuring equitable practices within Nigeria’s electricity sector.
Signed
Management
National Image Provides 5000 Acres of Land For Farmers
A consultancy firm, National Image, has provided 5000 acres of land in as part of its contribution to boost food production and fight hunger.
The Lead Consultant of the firm, Dr. Seyi Bamigbade, who made this known during a farmers’ stakeholders meeting at Agricultural Development Authority (ADA) Conference Centre, Oko Oba Agege Lagos State said it will be allocated purposely for the purpose of farming.
According to Bamigbade, apart from the allocation of farmlands, provision has been made for distribution of fertiliser, and a soft loan from financial institutions, aiming to support the President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda in line with food sufficiency for all Nigerians.
He also announced that training programme has been scheduled for 25th April 2024, at Agege Local Government Secretariat Hall, which is aimed at equipping would-be beneficiaries with the needed knowledge to deploy high yield seedlings that will be provided.
Also speaking, the Chairman, All Farmers Association Of Nigeria (AFAN) Otunba Oke Babafemi expressed gratitude to National Image for this initiative which he said will assist in fighting hunger and and provide employment opportunities for numerous young Nigerians.
He also called on those who will benefit from the scheme to make good use of the opportunity in order to boost the economy of the country.
Also speaking, the Project Manager, Real Ideas Homes and Properties, Dr Ukaeru Macdonald Okechukwu said this programme is a significant boost to the agenda of the federal government to ensure that the country attains sufficiency in food production.
He listed partners to include West Land University, University of Offa, Sam Maris University, Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria and others.
Photo Speak: PAP Administrator On Courtesy Visit To Chief of Army Staff
From Left: The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja during a courtesy visit of the Army Chief in Abuja on Thursday.
Ugandan President Appoints Natasha Museveni, Governor Central Bank Of Uganda
NEWS UPDATE
Ugandan President YOWERI MUSEVENI has appointed his Daughter Natasha Museveni Governor central Bank of Uganda.
Father – President
Mother – Minister of Education
Son – Chief of Defense and Military
Daughter – Governor of the Central Bank.
Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu’s Impeachment Panel Begins Sitting
The seven-man panel set up by the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, to investigate the allegation of misconduct levelled against the state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, began sitting on Wednesday.
The panel headed by retired Justice S. A. Omonuwa, was set up by Justice Okungbowa following the resolution by the state House of Assembly, which initiated the impeachment process against Shaibu.
At the panel on Wednesday, the House of Assembly was represented by Mr Joe Ohiafi, Deputy Clerk, Legal, just as Shaibu was represented by Prof Oladoyin Awoyale (SAN).
The impeachment process is believed to be the latest development in the conflict between Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki, his principal, which allegedly began when Shaibu announced his intention to run for Edo governor this year.
A statement signed by the administrative secretary of the panel, George Odidi, last Thursday read, “Take notice that consequent upon the inauguration of the above panel by His Lordship the Hon. Chief Judge of Edo State, Hon. Justice Daniel Okungbowa, in line with Section 188 Subsection 5 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the said panel shall commence sitting at Judges Conference room, New High Court Complex, Benin City on Wednesday, April 3, 2024 at 10am prompt.
“Parties and/or their counsel are expected to be present on that day while the complainant is expected to be ready to present its case on that day.”
Fubara And I Are in PDP but In Different Political Camps – Wike
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has denied influencing the Rivers State House of Assembly in its ongoing political battle against the State Governor, Sim Fubara.
But he also said he and Fubara are now in different political camps even though they both still belong to the Peoples Democratic Party.
Wike who was speaking on Tuesday in a live media chat held in Abuja, said, he was focused on the assignment given to him by President Bola Tinubu and remain unbothered about the conflict between Fubara and the state lawmakers.
He said: “You know I have decided not to bother myself about politics but on the assignment President Bola Tinubu gave to me. I didn’t go home for Easter. Why do you people think I have a hold on the assembly?
But Wike said the reason Fubara’s problem lingered with the State House of Assembly was that he did not keep to the agreements he had with them when Tinubu intervened to resolve their differences.
He said all Fubara had to do was to “comply with the law, comply with the agreement you made with them, with the president.”
He wondered why Fubara refused to re-present the 2024 budget after the court had invalidated an earlier budget he presented.
He asked rhetorically: “What is it in the budget that you don’t want to present?”
Wike also said he would not intervene in the crisis since Fubara did not come to him to request his assistance.
Wike further hinted that some persons within the state who were seen as elder statesmen actually lacked integrity. He said they were the ones now close to the Rivers State Governor.
“Rotimi Amaechi and (Celestine) Omehia are cousins. It was Amaechi who removed his (Omehia’s) picture. When I became a governor, I put his picture there. But all of them teamed up to support Atiku. Of course, what happened? They couldn’t give Atiku 10 percent votes (in Rivers). We flogged them mercilessly.
“They are the same people who said this governor (Fubara) was a neophyte. They wrote a petition when this governor was to collect his certificate. They told Iyorcha Ayu that he was being looked for by the EFCC.”
Wike said those people did not support Fubara initially but started frolicking with him. He said they should also also take up the responsibility to resolve the conflict between Fubara and the House of Assembly.
The FCT minister said he would not abandon his political base in Rivers just because he had a job to do in Abuja. He said: “Am I from where? Am I from Abuja? I should not oil my political machinery?”