Ondo State Resident Card Initiative Recommended For National Planning

Former Statistician General of the Federation, Prof. Doyin Akinyosoye has recommended the adoption of the Ondo State Residency Card initiative otherwise known as Kaadi Igbeayo to the National Economic Council (NEC) for effective planning purposes in Nigeria.

Prof. Akinyosoye gave this recommendation yesterday at the official launch of the utilization of the card at the state capital, Akure.

According to him, the card which captures the data of each resident, if adopted nationally, will no doubt be useful as a platform for effective planning for the citizens to ensure equitable share of the nation’s wealth and consequently enhance overall development in the country.

Speaking at the event, Governor Olusegun Mimiko enjoined all residents of the State above the age of 15 years to apply for the State Residency Card also known as Kaadi igbeayo, stressing that the card has from yesterday become an entry visa into all the State Governments social services from Abiye Safe Motherhood to the micro credit facilities, empowerment and highly subsidized agric input and supplies among others.

While performing the launching of the utilisation of the card at the well attended ceremony held at the State Cultural Center, Akure, Mimiko said from today (2/7/2015), government policy of ‘No Card, No Access’ to all state government social services takes immediate effect’.

The governor, who said over 400,000 cards had been distributed free of charge maintained that whoever wants to collect the card now would have to pay two thousand naira.

He said the residency card has been painstakingly designed, and sufficiently tested to overcome associated problems with smart cards world over.

Mimiko said the initiative was in fulfillment of his promise at inception to the residents of the state.

He said the Residency Card is set out to achieve that services are rendered to the valid holders of the card at any service point with accurate and precise records of previous transaction.

Mimiko, who is also the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, maintained that data would be available on the cards to enable mission-critical decisions to be made by the Service Agents.

Other benefits are reduction in unwarranted greed and hoarding; racketeering; pilfering and diversion which had been the bane of social welfare programmes in governments, as well as reduction in crime and criminal activities.

Mimiko said from September this year income tax status would be required on the card to access social services and enjoined the people of the state to pay their taxes regularly.

In his goodwill message, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Segun Agbaje lauded the innovation, saying it has given clue to improving upon the voter’s card so that every eligible voter can vote anywhere.

He informed that the INEC, at the federal level, if synergized with the National Assembly will come out with module for the electronic voter’s card in order to prevent electoral fraud at all levels.

The Secretary of the Yoruba delegates of National Confab, Dr. Kunle Olajide, who noted that no state can succeed without proper planning for its people maintained that the Kaadi Igbeayo project is key in that regard.

Dr. Olajide commended the various initiative of the present administration in the state, saying the state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has made history and has continued to showcase the state as a frontier in monumental achievements.

In his welcome address, the Chairman of the State Civic Data Centre, Tunde Yadeka noted that the Residency Card is the most forward looking government initiative in the first decade of the 21st century that will see the governance through economic circumstance of the day.

Yadeka, who described the card as medical mobile file maintained that the card is unique and precise, having bio-data and the medical record such as blood group type of the holder, which will quicken medical attention in case of emergency.

He also mentioned those areas the card will be applicable such as agriculture and micro credit, stating emphatically that the card will help to capture more people for tax while also check corruption in ensuring even distribution of the state resources.