The Federal House of Representatives has said it will work with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure that all Nigerians in Diaspora are enrolled into the National Identity Database, and issued the National Identification Number (NIN), and the National e-ID Card.

Speaking at a meeting, with members of the House Committee on Diaspora, who visited the NIMC headquarters in Abuja on a fact finding mission recently, the Director General/CEO NIMC, said the Commission already has in place the basic infrastructure that will ensure that Nigerians in Diaspora can be enrolled for the NIN from anywhere in the world.

According to him, the basic infrastructure that will warehouse the Database of Nigerians and residents in Nigeria, as well as those in the Diaspora has been set up, while the NIMC enrolment systems has been designed in such a way that enrolment will be continuous, putting into consideration new births and deaths.

“All that NIMC has to do is to certify the NIMC Enrolment Centres and ensure that the Contractors who would be picked would follow the set rules and regulations, because the data must be captured well, to avoid garbage in and garbage out.” he said.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Barr. Rita Orji stated that the plight and humiliating experiences of Nigerians in other countries informed the Committee’s visit to NIMC.

“This Committee is in charge of their welfare, and to achieve maximum result, we need to be able to identify all Nigerians in Diaspora, and also know what they are doing in the various countries; schooling or business.

She noted that Nigeria is one of the few countries people can migrate into, merge with Nigerians, school, get jobs, etc., without any form of identification, while Nigerians who are in Diaspora find it very difficult to survive; and even get humiliated at every little incident.

While commending the NIMC DG on his transparency about achievements so far, she said: “We in the National Assembly are very determined to see this project happen, and are willing to help the Commission attain its mandate.

“We would not want any delays on enrolment and issuance of cards once the project starts. However, it is very obvious that the Commission has a lot of issues, we must both sit down during the budgeting period to set things in motion for enrolment of people in the diaspora.

Responding, the NIMC DG assured the Committee members that the Commission would continue to work with the House of Reps to make Diaspora enrolment a reality; because there is a large number of them living all over the world.

Other members of the Committee include Hon. Shehu Aliyu Musa, Hon. Sunday Katung, Hon. Gaza Gbefiri, Hon. Dr. Henry Archibong, and Hon. Thaddaeus Aina.