Time to harmonise Nigeria’s biometrics platforms- UN

The United Nations has called on Nigeria to harmonise its multiple biometric platforms for more efficiency.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed, stated this on Friday April 7, 2017 when she received Nigeria’s delegates to the 50th session of the UN Commission on Population and Development in New York.

She said that a central body for the biometrics would reduce the financial implication of the current system and make it less cumbersome.

“I would raise one concern and that is that in Nigeria we have a multiplicity of platforms that are doing a biometrics on everything; that is not efficient.

“It is not cost-effective and there should be a better way for us, to say that, you have the banks taking everybody’s biometrics, immigration is doing it. I mean everybody is doing.

“By the time we went through it, there must be some basis that we can take and centralize that in some way and give it the premise for everybody’s biometric.

“So may be in a sense, the argument should be who should hold that responsibility of having the main frame and everyone now comes on and takes off their data for their constituency or their purpose.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Director-General, National Population Commission (NPC), Dr Ghaji Bello, commended Mohammed for her service to humanity and appealed for her office to assist Nigeria where necessary.

“We would also like to crave your indulgence to place before you one or two areas that we passionately believe you will assist our country.

“Coming from the population angle, there are issues of population and development.

“You are aware more than any other person of the level of underdevelopment with respect to health, education and lack of job opportunities back home.

“And quite a number of things that will make life easy for the average person; the whole essence of governance is service.

“So we know why you are here and we believe that you will distinguish yourself further and work in such a manner that it would impact on the global scene much more than before.”