Oyo State coordinator of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr Olusola Sotayo, has stressed the importance of residents of the state registering for the national identity card to aid effective state and national planning.
Sotayo made this call at the inauguration of a registration outlet sited in Idi-Ayunre, Oluyole local government.
Speaking, he advised residents of the area to avail themselves of the opportunity to register for their national identity card for free as a way of contributing to national planning.
He particularly lauded Caretaker Chairman, Oluyole Local Government, Mr Olaide Popoola, for providing the outlet with the necessary equipment and other logistics for its smooth running, asking for more of such support.
“We are commencing the national identity card in Oluyole Local Government Area as a result of the intervention of Popoola and we implore every resident of Oluyole to enrol and get enrolled for life. It is free and everybody is meant to do it,” Sotayo said.
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Speaking, Caretaker Chairman, Oluyole Local Government, Mr Olaide Popoola stressed that registration will enable the state and country to have data for effective national planning.
He added that proper documentation of residents will also enable government at different levels and security agencies handle security better.
“I am glad that national identity card registration will start in our local government. It is my joy that as the nearest government to the people, we are going to walk the talk.
“We know that getting our people to register with NIMC is very important to us as a council. Proper documentation will facilitate all kinds of planning because the greatest challenge we have as a nation is planning.
“We can only do properly when we have the figures right; most times, we use projections because various demography needed for planning are not in place.
“It is also very important, and concerning issues of intelligence and security, I think that this makes it very key for us as a nation for everybody to support this course.
“Security challenges will be curbed by the time we are able to have our people properly registered and documented,’’ Popoola said.
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