NIDR embarks on public awareness

The National Identification Registry or NIDR has embarked on a vigorous awareness to sensitize citizens on the importance of national identification, stressing that it is very important vast majority of the population has complete access to the initiative in Montserrado County.

According to state radio ELBC, the Executive Director of the National Identification Registry Mr. Tiah Nagbe said national identification process is to enable Liberians have easy access to any ECOWAS country, adding that people from ECOWAS members countries face difficulties whenever they try to visit their neighbors.

Speaking recently in Rivercess County, Southeast Liberia, he disclosed that the entire identification registration process will commence in January 2017 but the awareness was meant to educate citizens. According to Mr. Nagbe, the process will involve modern computerized database containing important information on all citizens and residents of Liberia.

He said all Liberians and foreigners residing in Liberia, registered with the NIR will be assigned unique identification numbers, which will become the primary government approved ID numbers for registration of births, deaths, passports, immigrant documents, bank accounts, drivers’ licenses, social security benefits, and other identifications.

The NIDR boss noted that the process will be beneficial to citizens, saying a person will be easily identified as a Liberian citizen or a legal resident of Liberia.  Besides, he said there are other benefits, detailing that the system will collect important information and manage them in a smart way with each citizen or resident having a permanent identification number.

Mr. Nagbe noted that building public trust in the system was one of the challenges that might hinder the process, but assured that his team intends to build such trust by being transparent, accountable, and maintaining open line of communication with the public.

He urged Liberians to give the registry a chance until the NIR proves not to be trusted. The National Identification Registry is an autonomous agency within the Executive Branch of Government. It was created by an Act of the Liberian Legislature on August 1, 2011. A Board was subsequently set up in May 2012 and on October 14, 2015, the first management team was appointed.

By Lewis S. Teh -Editing by Jonathan Browne