National ID cards equipment arrives

The National Registry announces the arrival into the country of at least 70 production kits for the production national identification cards.Addressing reporters Tuesday, 1 May at the head offices of the National Registry in Congo Town, outside Monrovia Chief Registry, Teah Nagbe, says with the presence of the equipment, the Registry would decentralize registration process to provide Liberians and non-Liberians the chance to get registered and issued national ID cards.

The Registry has brought in specialized equipment that requires specialized kills and training as part of the entire project. Nagbe puts the estimated value of the equipment around US$500,000.

He discloses that the equipment acquired thru the Government of Liberia include camera, ink pad, data storage, power supply system, mini computers to capture applicants’ data.

On the question of staff recruitment, he says the entity has gradually been conducting recruitment process through local means, adding, that those to do the work need to know the area in which they are to be assigned and also know people living there.

The National Registry boss further discloses that recruitment is based on applicants’ backgrounds as the entity would not recruit someone from Grand Bassa to go and register people in Grand Cape Mount County, neither would it recruit people from Grand Gedeh County to go and register people in Lofa County.

He says with the arrival of the equipment, the Registry is prepared to roll out its activities by commencing the process with the registration of government workers, indicating that it was difficult for him to provide a specific number regarding people that are being recruited, but is satisfied with progress made so far by the entity.
The National Registry has completed registration of employees of the Ministries of Finance Development Planning (MOFDP), Internal Affairs (MIA), Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC), and is scheduled to kick-off registration in Monrovia and its environs.

Nagbe continues that the target is to complete all government ministries and agencies in Monrovia by end of May 2018 and thereafter the registration teams would in June 2018 go in various counties to conduct the exercise.

By Emmanuel Mondaye-Editing by Jonathan Browne