New NID office opens

 By JUNIOR UKAHA
PEOPLE in Lae and Morobe can now have their civil registration papers processed locally.
This is made possible following the commissioning of the Morobe National Identification (NID) and Civil Registry Office last Friday along Markham Road in Lae. The NID cards will also be processed in the new office.
A Government delegation from Port Moresby travelled to Lae to witness the commissioning of the office.
The team included registrar-general Dickson Kiragi, NID project manager Dr Esther Lavu, communications officer Pauline Julius and a representative from the NID systems developer Huawei Technologies.
They were met by acting Morobe provincial administrator Masayan Moat, Lae district administrator Robin Calistus, provincial programme advisor (community development) Kiun Kimbing, provincial programme advisor (education) Keith Jiram and Morobe Governor’s  chief of staff Mala Ahi.
The commissioning coincided with the appointment of Keputong Geibob, a long time public servant in the province, as the civil registrar of Morobe.
Kiragi said the Morobe NID and Civil Registry Office was the 10th to be opened after similar offices were opened in the National Capital District, Central, Gulf, Western Highlands, Southern Highlands, Milne Bay, Northern, Manus and New Ireland.
Kiragi said the Morobe office had cost them a “substantial amount of money” to set up.
“This office has a statutory requirement to record private information and to ensure that the necessary documents provide the proof of identity and proof of status.
“Part of the process of the Community Development (Ministry) in the early years was to decentralise the functions (of the Civil Registry Office) to the provinces, however, it did not come with substance by way of delegating powers and responsibilities,” he said.
“Today we are going to witness the delegation of powers and the declaration of the office.
“This means that, effectively, we are giving that power to the provincial level.”
Kiragi said the office had a fully integrated system that could process birth, death, marriage and divorce documents.
“Amendments to civil records can also be handled by the office.
“And most importantly, it contains the population information management system.”