Dozzier News Dozzier News
By Emmanuel Sampson
In a move to help his people harness opportunities embedded in the various intervention programmes of both the Federal and State governments for the citizenry, Mr. Augustine Akpan , Media Aide to Ikono local Government Transition Committee Chairman, has sponsored National Identity Number (NIN) enrollment for over 100 persons in his village – Osuk Ediene and other neighbouring villages.
Speaking at the registration center in Osuk Ediene, Ikono LGA during the flag-off of the enrollment exercise, Akpan explained that acquiring NIN has become mandatory for all citizens as Government has made it a prerequisite to citizens to accessing government empowerment opportunities, seeking admission into tertiary institutions, owning a phone number or a bank account etc.
He charged those without NIN to seize the opportunity to get enrolled for their own good.
Akpan who stated that sponsoring the NIN enrollment was his own little way of giving back to his people also used the opportunity to thank his boss, the Transition Committee Chairman of Ikono LGA, Hon. Kingsley Akpan and the CEO of Eliscomas Group, Akparawa Elisha Umoh for giving him the platform as well as inspiring him to impacting his people positively.
“I never knew how demanding securing NIN was until my mom’s phone number was blocked early this year and she was required to go get her NIN to get her phone line unblock.
“I had to take her to Uyo to do that but on getting to National Identity Management Commission at Federal Secretariat, the queue we met was very long and it was clear she won’t be able to pull through that same day.
“We had to resort to the alternative of doing the enrollment with an agent and that cost us a whopping N5000. That was the moment I understood why so many persons in the rural areas never bothered about enrolling for NIN because of the stress and financial burden.
“That was the day that I started nursing the idea of taking the enrollment to my people and today, I remain grateful to God for using my boss, the Transition Committee Chairman of Ikono LGA, Hon. Kingsley Akpan to give me the platform to make this happen.
I am equally grateful to my Senior brother, Akparawa Elisha Umoh for mentoring and inspiring me to see the need of adding value to people’s life via the many selfless interventions he has made in our community.
“Although my budget for this enrollment was for 100 persons, however, since more than 200persons have indicated interest, I’ll look at ways to accommodate as many persons as possible by making it in phases”, Augustine Akpan stated.
According to him, at the end of the first phase of the enrollment which was rounded up last weekend, 103 persons were enrolled.
Meanwhile, in addition to the NIN enrollment, Mr. Akpan also used the opportunity to bring in officials from Zenith Bank, to help the people open account for easy financial transaction and warned them not to divulge any sensitive personal information regarding their bank account or card details to a third party in order not to be defrauded.
Also speaking, the NIMC official, Mr. Okon Ndem Ukim while giving orientation to the people on the need to get enrolled urged them to key into the exercise as it would enhance proper planning and facilitate national development.
Ukim added that it was important for people to register for the scheme, as such would go a long way to scale up data planning and financial planning, as well as boost the delivery of democratic dividends to the people.
He thanked Mr. Augustine Akpan for his ingenuity and foresight in providing resources needed for the enrollment and charged prospective beneficiaries to provide correct details about themselves in order for the exercise to be seamless.
In their separate remarks, some beneficiaries express their joy to the facilitator, Mr. Akpan for his love and sacrifice despite the hard times.
