Monrovia-Residents of Grand Cape Mount and Bomi Counties have been given an insight into the work of the National Biometric Identification System when the entity launched awareness program in the two counties with a plan to extend to the rest of the counties.
Report by: Kennedy L. Yangian – [email protected]
The NBIS Deputy Director for Administration, Haji Kumba Kaba-Liberty, told FrontPageAfrica at the end of the first awareness program held in Grand Cape Mount County over the weekend that they had gone to the area to meet residents, including elders, women groups, students, marketers as well as employees of government main line ministries assigned there to give them an overview of the National Biometric System.
She stated that the NBIS is a multi -purpose data that will be at affordable cost and will provide basic information for every Liberian and legal residents in the country, starting from birth to adult and will contain nothing on tribe and religion.
“NBIS is a multi-purpose national database (national registry) set up to collect, hold and provide accurate and comprehensive personal information on all Liberian citizens living in the country an all legally and permanently resident-non Liberian living in the country,” said Madam Liberty
She stated that the NBIS will not be working alone in this process but will work with other agencies including the Bureau of Immigration and that of GSM companies operating in the country, adding that the Biometric system will be like the social security card which contains every information of an individual and called on every Liberian to get interested in it because it will be beneficial to them.
She stated that while in Cape Mount, the awareness will take place in Robertsport, Bo Waterside, and Sinje and the campaign will extend to Bomi County at a later date with a plan to extend to the rest of the counties.
Madam Liberty indicated that while in Cape Mount, the citizens lauded the entity for extending its awareness campaign in the county to give them an insight of the work of the NBIS.
“There is the need for every Liberian to get interested in this new ID card process as it will be good for the people and the country as it will serve as the basis for the right people to get public service,” Madam Liberty intoned.
The Government of Liberia through its Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) mandated the Ministry of Internal Affairs in collaboration with LIGIS to design, endorse and roll out the National Identification Card System linked to the database drawn from the 2008 Census data and issue identity cards to citizens and residents.
Following a series of consultations a framework proposal was approved by the cabinet in November 2009, in August 2011, the National Legislature approved an Act creating the National Identification Registry