Two districts sign deal with registry office for NID

TWO more districts, Mul-Baiyer and Wapenamanda, signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the PNG Civil and Identity Registry office (PNGCIRO) yesterday to carry out the registration of their people.
The signing brought to 24 the number of districts partnering the registry office for the project in their electorates.
Registrar-general of PNGCIRO Noel Mobiha said the MoU was for six months followed by a review that involved districts and registry.
Mobiha said five districts had signed up this year.
“Over the years we have been working on a stand-alone basis, the districts were not a major player in the registration process,” he said.
“Having learnt from Bulolo, Maprik, Yangoru, Pomio, Bogia and Usino-Bundi, we found that involving the districts was really coming good with the numbers increasing and registration progressing well.”
Minister for National Planning and Monitoring Sam Basil commended his colleague MPs – Mul-Baiyer MP Koi Trape and Wapenamanda MP Rimbink Pato – for signing the agreement.
He said the MoU would enable the districts to partner PNGCIRO to ensure the rollout of NID is carried out effectively and would cover required numbers budgeted for this year.
Pato said his district had been working closely with the NID office for some time since the Enga government signed a MoU some years back. “We have already identified the potential ward officers who will be able to undertake the recording that is necessary,” he said.
“We had provided funding already in our budget except that the funding could not be released, but it’s going to see to it that it’s going back into the budget again this year.
“NID is an essential part of the national development, we can chart a new course as we move forward.”
Trape said the NID project was important and every citizen needed it and he was ready for his people to register.