The Kaduna State Residents Registration Agency (KADSRRA) says it is supporting the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to enroll 95 per cent of Kaduna state residents into the National Identity Database (NIDB) by 2022.The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Zayyad Tsiga made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Monday.

Tsiga explained that the state government had been working closely with NIMC since 2015 to expedite the enrolment of Kaduna state residents into the NIDB.

He said that KADSRRA was established in 2018 to coordinate the collaboration with NIMC with a view to provide the state with the necessary residents’ data for informed policy and decision making.

“This will improve service delivery at all Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs), digital economy, e-governance, social and financial inclusion for the benefits of Kaduna state residents.

“It will also allow for a proper and transparent allocation of resources to the appropriate sectors of the state’s economy and social welfare interventions among other benefits,” he said.

Tsiga said that so far, about 3.3 million residents, representing 35 per cent of the estimated 9.5 million have been enrolled as of March 15.

He said that the enrolment was 2.8 million when he assumed office in August 2020 and aimed at doubling the figure by December 2021 and achieve 95 per cent coverage by 2022.

He said that the agency would embark on a massive sensitisation campaign to mobilise residents to enroll, adding that plans are under way to establish one registration centre in each of the 255 political wards.

He said that the registration centres would be sited within Primary Healthcare Centres in the 255 wards, in addition to the current 74 registration centres across the state.

Tsiga said that the agency was reaching out to development partners to support the setting up of the additional centres.

“We have already secured partnership with USAID, which has supported us with registration equipment for all the political wards in Kajuru and Jema’a Local Government Areas.”

He also spoke on the response of residents to the registration exercise.

“We were enrolling an average of 40,000 to 60,000 per month before it increased to 140,000 per month, following the Federal Government directive to link GSM numbers with National Identification Number (NIN).

“If we succeed in getting the 255 additional enrolment centres, it will raise our average enrolment to 200,000 per month.

“This will put us on course to reach over five million by the end of 2021 and the 95 per cent coverage by 2022,” he said.

Tsiga disclosed that the agency would soon commence issuance of the Residency Cards with data from the NIDB, adding that the card would serve as a debit card to help increase financial inclusion.

He explained that the state residency card would eliminate the use of multiple Identification Cards such as hospital, university, and employee ID cards.

He disclosed that the State Executive Council had directed MDAs to demand for Kaduna State Residency Cards and NIN from all residents before providing services beginning from May 19.

Tsiga added that all poor and vulnerable in the Social Register would also be enrolled to obtain their residency card and NIN, for easy access to social protection services in the state.

“However, only residents with a NIN and a valid Kaduna state address will be issued the state residents card.

“Residents who have obtained NIN using an address of another state, and now reside in Kaduna, are required to update their record with the current Kaduna address to get the residents card,” Tsiga said.