The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has been accused of not considering the health of Nigerians and particularly that of the telephone subscribers and staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) by forcing Nigerians to continue to troop out enmasse in search of the National Identification Number or lose ownership of their telephone lines.

HURIWA expressed regret that the Communications and Digital Economy Minister Ibrahim Patami by only ‘donating’ some Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has demonstrated overwhelming lack of sensitivity and responsibility in the discharge of his official duties but has put his inexplicable agendum above that of the public good.

HURIWA said the PPE were reportedly donated to NIMC staff members for their safety in the fight against COVID-19 just as Mr. Kayode Adegoke, NIMC Head of Corporate Communications, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday and glibly explained that the donation was in line with the Ministry’s resolve to ensure smooth enrolment of National Identity Number (NIN).

The items were received on behalf of the Management and Staff of the NIMC by its DG/CEO, Engr. Aliyu A. Aziz.

However, the rights group said the Federal Government, by sticking to the ill-advised deadline for the enrolment by millions of telephone subscribers in Nigeria to obtain the National Identity Card numbers so as to synchronise with their telephone lines even amidst the extraordinary surge in the infection rate of Covid-19 and the fact that nearly a month since after the registration for NIN started, the Minister has only just distributed to the frontline staff doing the registration with the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) after the staff union threatened to embark on strike shows that government officials essentially implement decisions without thinking through those decisions or listen to the heartbeat of Nigerians.

“This Federal Government has exposed millions of Nigerians to the threats of Covid-19 infections and we are sure there may be series of litigation for damages thar may be filed by Nigerians who may seek for payment of damages for the unmitigated risks that they were exposed to by the Federal government in carrying out the order to get enrolled in the National Identity database as a prerequisite for the continuous use of their telephone lines,” HURIWA said.

It recalled that the Federal Government had said that it may suspend the ongoing NIN registration due to the large crowds that gather during the process, a contravention of the Covid-19 protocol.

HURIWA recalled that NIMC workers embarked on strike last Thursday over issues bothering on welfare, the risk of exposure to Covid-19, lack of personal protective equipment and poor funding.

This is due to the surge of large crowds who gather at their offices for NIN enrolment, following the deadline given by the government to telephone operators, to cut off subscribers who fail to link their NIN with their SIM card.

The workers, however, called off the industrial action some 24 hours later following the intervention of the Federal Government.

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