People need to learn how to fill NID forms, says official

MANY citizens are yet to learn how to fill details in a National Identification Card form to be registered for a NID card or obtain birth certificates for their children.
Due to these difficulties, the NID vetting officer spends a lot of time ensuring the application is filled out properly.
Lae NID public servants team leader Nicholar Boas highlighted the case when registering births and NID applicants who were employees of The National newspaper on Saturday.
Boas said a lot of applicants were yet to understand the questionnaire.
It requires more awareness to educate people prior to registration, Boas said.
“Many educated people don’t even never know their ward numbers, local-level government areas and districts, tribes and clan names and the date of birth of their parents,” Boas said.
“Others don’t know the residential address of their parents.”
Boas, information communication technical officer, Mamose, Ronald Wolfie, and registration officer Cleophata Rudolf, registered more than 30 employees, spouses and children.
The National Lae branch administration manager Fernando Abanilla and Northern region sales coordinator Leo Lausi invited NID corporate coordinator Malcolm Bago to conduct awareness a week prior to actual registration on Saturday.
Boas said despite challenges, the team worked on Saturday to register people and completed it.
However, most employees from the production and circulation departments, were unable to turn up for the registration and similar sessions will be arranged next year for them.
“This NID programme is vital for government records, for planning and budgeting to determine delivery of services and I am glad that The National staff have benefited from the programme,” Abanilla said.