The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Katsina has extended a hand of partnership to the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in the state.
Officials of the coalition, who revealed this during a courtesy visit to the NIMC office in Katsina on Wednesday, said the move aimed at supporting the delivery of enrolment projects in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation was led by the Secretary of the coalition in the state, Kabir Shehu-Yandaki.
He said, “the visit was intended to establish a working relationship with the commission and identify areas of cooperation that would support the delivery of the National Identity Number (NIN) enrolment project.”
Shehu-Yandaki explained that the coalition was among the national stakeholders in the Identification for Development (ID4D) project.
“We therefore, consider it necessary to formally introduce the group to the state coordinator,” the secretary said.
He added that the visit also provided an opportunity to hear directly from the commission on areas where the support of CSOs would be required to help NIMC achieve its mandate in Katsina.
According to him, the coalition, through its member organisations, is currently monitoring the ongoing ward-to-ward NIN enrolment exercise across the state to ensure transparency and improved service delivery.
In his response, the NIMC Coordinator in the state, Illo Sarkinyamma, appreciated the coalition for the visit and noted that it was the first civil society group to pay such a visit since he assumed office.
He said the engagement marked the beginning of a new working relationship between the commission and civil society organisations in the state.
Sarkinyamma emphasised that the coalition could play a significant role in public sensitisation on NIMC activities and in advocating for support from state and local governments, particularly in the provision of funding and working equipment at the local government level to enhance service delivery and expand coverage.
He also urged the coalition to help amplify NIMC’s zero-tolerance policy on extortion, stressing that NIN enrolment remains free of charge.
The coordinator called on members of the public to resist and report any form of extortion at enrolment centres.
On improving access, Sarkinyamma disclosed that the commission was willing to provide outreach enrolment services for vulnerable groups, especially Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and tasked the coalition to help organise such groups to facilitate easier access to enrolment services.
(NAN)
