Open Letter To The Minister Of Information

Mr. Labaran Maku
Honourable Minister
Federal Ministry of Information and Communication
Abuja
Nigeria
Dear Sir,
NEW NATIONAL ID CARD EXERCISE
Thank you for your continued effort towards making Nigeria a better place.
Sir, we read with surprise the announcement that the Federal Executive Council Meeting approved, on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, a fresh national identity card exercise that will cost us ‘over N30 billion’.
Honourable Minister, noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) spent N87.7B to gather biometric (and additional) data of 73,528,040 Nigerians during the April 2011 voter registration exercise, and that the Nigerian Communications Commission, with another N6.1B, has just completed the registration of over 60 million Nigerians through another collection of biometric data for the SIM card registration exercise, it is surprising that ANOTHER exercise – that could have been built on the earlier efforts – has now been approved.
Sir, we wish to remind you of the promise of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure efficient proper management of the nation’s meagre resources that have been kept in your trust. We write as concerned citizens who have been assured by experts that this huge waste of unavailable national resource can be avoided by utilising existing data.
In this regard, sir, we request that you use your good offices to ask Mr. President, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian economy, to consider the revocation of this recently approved national identity card exercise or provide convincing technical justification why such enormous national resources should be committed to an apparent duplication of efforts by the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Nigerian Communications Commission.
Sir, if this request is not met with adequate attention, we will not hesitate to mobilise the citizenry to boycott the proposed national identity card exercise in order to drive home the point that Nigeria must not spend tomorrow’s resources to plug today’s waste.
We thank you for the kind attention, and trust you to do the needful.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Akinade Ibuoye
Anwuli Ojogwu
Archibong Eso
Atinuke Balogun
‘Bisi Ogunwale
Bisola Edun
Bosun Tijani
Bunmi Ajilore
Chigozirim Ugochukwu
Chinedu Onyeaso
Chris Ihidero
Deji Agbeniyi
Eromo Egbejule
Ewone Anthony Eghosakruz
Gabriel Mayowa-Kolade
Georgina Bellucci
‘Gbenga Sesan
Hassan Buwai
Idiare Atimomo
Ife Tokimi
Jayeoba Ayobami
Joachim MacEbong
Kola Dairo Jr
Koye-Ladele Mogbekeloluwa
Kunle Durojaiye
Nuru Agbaje
Obasolape Abiola
Obinnaya Egbe
Oladapo Kolawole
Olanrewaju Lewis
Olumide Akinsola
Oluwatobi Soyombo
Rosemary A. Ajayi
Sylva Nze Ifedigbo
Temilade Sesan
Tinuola Akinola
Tolu Wesley
Yemi Adamolekun
Cc:
The Presidency
Senate President’s Office
Speaker’s Office
Hon. Minister of Finance
Hon. Minister of Communication and Technology
Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission
Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission