FG considers suspension of NIN enrolment over COVID-19

• NDLEA suspends screening of new employees

The Federal Government may suspend the ongoing enrolment for National Identification Number (NIN) in view of the surging crowds at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) offices in Lagos, Abuja and other cities across the country.

Government says the decision may be necessary to protect many Nigerians from contracting COVID-19.

Already, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has suspended the screening of applicants for recruitment due to the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NIN registration resumed nationwide on Monday after NIMC workers suspended the strike they commenced on Thursday over poor welfare package, lack of tools and risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, said on a TV programme Monday that the ongoing NIN enrolment could be suspended over COVID-19 risks.

He also urged the NIMC to reorder the enrolment process to avoid large crowds at its centres nationwide.

The minister, who is also a member of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, said the government had a duty to protect Nigerians.

“I don’t feel good looking at the picture where people are gathered in multitude; it’s like a super-spreader event, which we don’t like. But 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.

“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,” he added.

The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) had ordered telecommunications companies to block all telephone lines of subscribers not linked to their NINs.

It also gave subscribers with NINs till January 19 to link their NINs with their SIM cards while subscribers without NINs have February 9 deadline.

Meanwhile, scare over the pandemic has prompted the NDLEA to suspend the ongoing screening of applicants for recruitment.

NDLEA’s spokesman, Deputy Commander of Narcotics, Jonah Achema, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the screening suspension was based on strict compliance with the directive of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN).

The NDLEA had on January 8 released the list of shortlisted candidates and directed the candidates, numbering 5,000, to appear at the agency’s academy in Jos for screening and documentation between January 10 and January 23.

But Achema said the minister had ordered the suspension of the exercise given the current alarming second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

“The agency is prepared to seek advice from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on the public health implications of such an exercise, especially as it relates to the adequacy and possibility of strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols.

“The screening team had been directed to suspend all actions and return to the national headquarters, Abuja, immediately for further briefing.

“There shall be no prejudice against any candidate that turned up for the screening or that failed to do so,’’ he said.