Nigerians have expressed worry over the short timeline given by the Federal Government over the sudden decision to get the SIM cards synchronised with the National Identity Number by December 30.
Most people noted that such a move would compromise the COVID-19 safety protocols and escalate the already rising cases in the dreaded second wave of the pandemic.
File Photo: Nigerians queuing to register for the national identity card at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) office in Alausa, Ikeja.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, had on Monday issued an order that SIM cards be synchronised with a valid National Identity Number by December 30 or they would be disconnected.
On social media, while some Nigerians lament the processes involved in getting registered for NIN and how they would compromise the COVID-19 protocols, others worry about the plights of foreigners who could not get registered in the timeframe.
Here are the reactions below:
Why will the government pick such a time, with such short notice? How do people get this sorted in 2weeks? Why didn’t they plan properly for it? How do they intend to manage COVID-19 in all of this? Why justify what’s clearly unreasonable?
— Omoye Fishinton (@OFishinton) December 16, 2020
I think its because they are visiting and have no residential address,so it’s assumed that they can commit a crime with the sim and leave the country without been found. But if the person can provide a residential address and probably provide a guarantors means of identification.
— getfit_with_franka (@franka_official) December 16, 2020
They should do same thing Dubai does
..register Sims with international passport…for d amount of time they’ll be spending…also…based on the type of visa they have…the problem
Is we can’t select to do few things right..everything has to be on point.. or else waste of time— Gods own (@omogunoriola) December 16, 2020
This is standard practice globally. All foreigners MUST use their means of identification which mostly is their visiting document “passport data page”. And they can register a sim. NIN is strictly for Nigerians. Nothing is out of place in such a policy. @Ebuka should know this
— Gentleworld182 Kk (@gentleworld182) December 16, 2020
Its a good idea but the timeline is frigging ridiculous
Why cant they just focus on the insecurities in Aso Villa
Are the rodents still there?— E-Waveâââ (@IAkhigbe) December 16, 2020
Sometimes, I feel we should be having prep classes and orientation exercise for our leaders. So they can think critically, seek advise before taking certain unnecessary decisions.
— Abai Abai (@boy_abai) December 16, 2020
King_Moles @oluomole7 tweeted, “We have an analogue government in a digital age. A government that does its own things in reverse. Other countries of the world are doing all to prevent citizens from coming out because of the COVID pandemic. Ours is saying you must come out to get NIN. Whatever happened to BVN?”
Ezino Edward @Anyagu said, “That is the implication, not only foreigners but majority of the citizens as well will be deprived of communication. The time frame for registration is so short coupled with the rush that you will see at NIM centers when there is the second wave of COVID.”
Emmy @igwebullion said, “My friend came into the country some days ago…we went to the mtn office in Kubwa to register a sim for him but we were told that all network providers were given a directive to stop sim registration till further notice.”
Fabian. A @leyealabi, in a thread, lambasted the government stating that the weightier options should be considered,
“What does this have to do with the dire economic situation? With the hundreds of kidnapped boys? If you can’t move the country forward, leave it where it is. Seems like a conscious effort to draw us backwards, do they even think at all?
“In this pandemic you want a population of 200million plus to physically update their SIM cards under 2 weeks. This same urgency goes missing when it’s time to prosecute recalcitrant SARS officials or rescue the kidnapped schoolchildren.”
In this pandemic you want a population of 200million plus to physically update their SIM cards under 2 weeks. This same urgency goes missing when itâs time to prosecute recalcitrant SARS officials or rescue the kidnapped schoolchildren.
— Fabian. A (@leyealabi) December 16, 2020
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