The Development and Integrity Intervention Goal Foundation, a civil society organisation, in collaboration with the Ebonyi State Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Taskforce has trained third-party monitors to strengthen quality, inclusivity and accountability in national Identity system.
The training, a crucial part of the activities under the World Bank-suported Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) Project is
a practical capacity building session to enable the third-party monitors effectively engage and conduct Focus Group Discussions, interviews and site visits for evidence-based data across pilot states in Nigeria.
The foundation is one of the six selected Civil Society Organizatons (CSOs) to serve as an anchor for the third-party monitoring programme, covering Lot 4 of the project: Southeast zone, with Ebonyi and Imo as pilot states.
The training was held on Wednesday, October 14 in Abakaliki with Trainees selected from the Foundation, the Ebonyi GBV Taskforce and the Imo State Civil Society Situation Room.
Presenting an overview of the project, Foundation’s Executive Director, Chief Oliver Chima Ajah, stated that the monitors would work to provide independent monitoring and reporting on the national digital identity implementation, helping to strengthen transparency, accountability, stakeholder engagement and evidence-based decision-making in the system.
“The broader ID4D initiative aims to support inclusivity and trusted identification systems while protecting privacy and enabling people to access services and economic opportunities,” he emphasised.
Ajah said the roles of third-party monitors include Independent Verification of project implementation, assessment of the quality of enrollment in the National Identity Number (NIN),
promoting transparency, accountability in the system, assessment of inclusion and accessibility barriers, gathering of beneficiary feedbacks and identifying complaints.
Others include, observing privacy and ensuring responsible data gathering as well as production of independent reporting, evidence-based findings, recommendations and tracking.
Admonishing the monitors, the State Head, National Identity Management Commission, Philip Iwuchukwu Okeke, represented by the Principal Identity Officer, John Ikegwu, enjoined them to work diligently to further strengthen the accuracy and authenticity of the NIN data base.
He maintained that the NIN contains the most authentic and up-to-date information on citizens.
He commended the foundation for its leading role in capacity development and advocacy for development, assuring that the Commission would cooperate with the monitors to ensure the success of the project.
In her remarks, the Ebonyi Coordinator, GBV Taskforce, Faithvin Nwanchor urged the trainees to be open-minded and take advantage of the training to properly equip themselves with the tools and strategies to delivering excellent patriotic service in national identity for development.
In their reaction, some of the monitors – Goodness Mgbaja, Chimezie Ude Chima from Ebonyi stste and Tony Ayoka, Theodore Enemuo and Delight Ohaka from Imo state – said the training was both rich and timely.
Ude Chima commended the third-party monitor project, noting that it would enhance NIN enrollment which has been identified as low in Southeast.
“As participants, we have been equipped with the skills and understanding of the terminologies to enable us go to the field and gather valuable data to be analysed for development purposes.
“I think this project will give hope to the common citizens who have been facing a lot of challenges in NIN registration”, Mgbaja summed.
She expressed optimism that the appropriate authority would utilise the outcome of the project effectively.
The monitors were taken through the coverage plans for Ebonyi and Imo states, data collection tools and strategies as wel as a technical session on practical use of tools and reporting templates, among others.
