|
Gov. Adamu presents report on I.D. Card Project and Voters Registration Exercise
Tuesday, August 27, 2002
I am particularly proud of the fact that we not only met the deadline of two weeks, but we have provided for government ideas, suggestions and proposals which we believe have the potential to impact most positively on the I.D. Card Project and the Registration of Voter' Exercise.
Remarks of Governor of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, Chairman, Presidential Committee on the Identity Card Project and the Registration of Voters Exercise at the presentation of the report of the committee
Your Excellency,
I would like to begin by expressing the profound gratitude and appreciation of the members of the Committee for the decision of Mr. President to call on us to participate in the resolution of an issue which is central to the survival of our democratic tradition. For me personally, this Committee represents a vital instrument for the involvement of a segment of the most honourable and credible leadership into the decision-making process, and in the course of its deliberations, I had the privilege to have a glimpse into the wisdom which informed Mr. President's selection of such eminent Nigerians. I am particularly proud of the fact that we not only met the deadline of two weeks, but we have provided for government ideas, suggestions and proposals which we believe have the potential to impact most positively on the I.D. Card Project and the Registration of Voter' Exercise.
In the course of undertaking our assignments, we were able to appreciate some of the most basic worries and concerns which Nigerians expressed regarding these two national endeavours, and we appreciated even more keenly the value of the consultations which Mr. President decided to hold with key segments of our national leadership, which in turn informed the setting up of our Committee. I think it is safe to state that we found many of those fears, concerns and suspicions well founded, largely because of major gaps in communications between the DNCR and INEC and the public. Similarly, we found value and merit in the policies and innovations which both agencies sought to introduce, but above all, we are convinced that a profound lesson has to be learned, which is that no matter how good a policy or initiative is, it needs to be well appreciated and understood by the public, or it will fail woefully. Significantly, we also found no sinister motive or intent on the part of government in the manner both programmes were conceived, although, of course, the absence of information did not help its case.
The Committee has therefore, among other things, made the following recommendations:
I. Both the National Identity Card Project and the Voters Registration Exercise should be carried out separately;
II. The two exercises will require intensive publicity, education and other sensitisation strategies;
III. Government should as a matter of priority set up all the Advisory Committees in respect of the Identity Card Project at the various levels of Government as provided for under the Act establishing DNCR.
IV. INEC and DNCR should ensure transparency and reliability in carrying out the two exercises in order to win the support and confidence of all Nigerians; and
V. DNCR should be restructured into an Agency instead of being an integral Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the effective discharge of its mandate.
Mr. President, we humbly believe that we have done adequate justice to your charge to us to examine all issues and problems related to the two programmes. We hope that government will find our observations and recommendations useful. We will only appeal that government's decisions on our recommendations be made known as soon as practicable in view of the need to ensure an unhindered operation of key elements of our democratic process.
I thank Mr. President therefore for this unique honour, and I present our Report for the consideration of Government.
Thank you.
|
