Oyo gov presents biometric ID cards to 7,000 traders

IN continuing the state government’s biometric data capturing of informal sector operatives, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Wednesday commenced the presentation of biometric identity cards to about 7,000 tradesmen and artisans captured in Ona Ara local government area of the state.

Ajimobi, represented by his Special Adviser on Trade Matters, Mrs Kunbi James, at the presentation held at Shamsu Su’ud Central Mosque, Orita-Aperin, Ibadan, said the traders, by holding the cards, had further opened their goods to willing buyers across the country and increased their access to various government’s offers for the people.

He added that the biometric exercise was also aimed at enabling the state government to have a unified identity for all tradesmen and artisans in the state, create a database for proper planning and ensure compliance to tax payment.

“When the government is giving out a lot of things, it is easy for the government to locate every trader, artisan, know what goods they sell, have their phone number. We intend to have a directory of traders across the local governments, for them to be easily located by willing buyers. They can also use the card anywhere for bank verification. They only have to pay a token of about N1,500 for all the processes,” Ajimobi said.

Speaking, Chairman, National Trader Youth Action Council International (NYTACI), Oyo state, Najeemdeen Abdulazeez assured that the association was poised to galvanise traders and artisans across the state to be registered for the biometric data capturing and identification card project of the state government.

It would be recalled that the state governor, at the inauguration of the project, in September 2017, said about 440,000 tradesmen and artisans across the state were to be captured.