Obasanjo picks holes in national identity programme, flays FG over unstable policies

Weary of Nigerian government’s unstable policies and abrupt change of government projects and programmes at all times, former president Olusegun Obasanjo has picked holes in the ongoing national identity card registration, saying the project should have included people’s blood group and type for medical purposes.

The former president agreed that though the security codes that could be used for intelligence and financial purposes are part of the features of national identity card, he however, pointed out that the card might not be used for medical purpose or save the life of an individual in case of accident since it does not have blood group and type of an individual.

Obasanjo also blamed Nigerian government for unstable policies and abrupt change of procedures and programmes by past Nigerian leaders which he said had resulted in Nigeria lagging behind her peers, especially Francophone West African countries, adding that similar programme was earlier introduced in 1979 but was cancelled by successive governments.

Obasanjo, who spoke shortly after he finished registration in the ongoing national identity card registration at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office, expressed hope that the national identity card registration would not go the way of others in the past.

While calling on Federal Government to improve and sustain the ongoing national identity card registration project as it could help in fighting crimes and maintain a bit of security and intelligence, Obasanjo urged corporate organisations and institutions that still keep separate identifications of individuals to join hands with government for harmonisation.

“I hope that as time goes on, we will be able to include blood group of each individual so that if anybody has accident and he needs blood transfusion, it is from his identity card that you will know what blood group and what type of blood such person requires.
“It is a document that every Nigerian deserves and which is even late in coming. But we thank God that after the initial step in 1979, more than 30years ago, we have come back. I hope that this step that we are taking now will be sustained and will serve all the needs of Nigerians. It will also help us to maintain a little bit of security.

“Our Francophone sister countries have had it for so many, many years. When we made the attempt in 1979, there were people who were fighting against it. Today, because it is a project, a programme and a document which should have even come before now, nobody is protesting now.

“I see people now wanting to have it; it is good. And maybe, those other institutions that are still keeping separate identifications of individuals in one form or the other will be able to join hands so that with one identity card, we’ll not need a drivers’ licence, we will not need another card for voting, you will not need another card for your contributory pension, you will not need another card for your health insurance”.