By Raphael Oni
The Federal Government of Nigeria might halt the ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) considering the large crowds seeking registration in centres across Nigeria and the risk of COVID-19, according to the Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora.
He made this remark on Channels TV Sunrise Daily show where he appeared as a guest on Monday.
The Minister a member of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, said, it is displeasing to see crowds gather at the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC) offices.
In his words, “Nobody feels good. I don’t feel good looking at the picture where people are gathered in multitudes. It’s like super spreader events which we don’t like. I’m also aware that the relevant ministry which is the communications and digital economy is looking at this.
My understanding is that the whole process may be suspended so as to reorder the whole process in terms of management of the crowd because it was never intended that it would become a rowdy process like that. So, people may have to wait and be called at intervals to go through the process,”
Mamora advises NIMC ”to re-order the enrollment process,” which he said will help avoid large crowds across the nation.
He said the government has a duty to ensure Nigerians are protected at all times. He said, “We have a duty as government to ensure that people are protected; we also have a duty to ensure people comply within the limit of what is good for the society at large,” Anxious Nigerians have continued to gather at NIMC offices across the nation to register for their NINs.
The crowd defied the surge in COVID-19 infections in the country and struggle on long queues at NIMC offices in the nation’s capital, Abuja and others registration centers all over the States of the Federation.
