By Peter Jiya
Over the past few days, Nigerian telecommunication subscribers have been running helter skelter to get registered for National Identification Card in order to link the same with their Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) to avoid possible disconnection as regulated by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).
Agreeably, the Commission has indeed caused a National wailing owing to the short time notice for the purpoted disconnection of SIM cards, but beyond reasonable doubt, one can say without mincing words and without apology that many Nigerians deservers zero empathy as regarding their lackadaisical and 'I-don't-care' attitude towards enrollment of National Identity Card.
Lately, Nigerians have been trouping into enrollment centres across the nation in large numbers. Far from the long queues at the centres, there is another play out of corruption as many have alleged that they were either asked to pay five thousand naira or three thousand naira as the case may be.
While interacting with one Nigerian who was bitterly lamenting over what can only be tagged as unfortunate, he said, he was asked to pay five thousand naira for enrollment in this poverty striking society and Covid-19 pandemic lashes.
Apart from the poor system we are faced with in this country, corruption has taken over many public office holders conscience. The exercise which ought to be free is been used by some miscreants as a mean of squeezing money out of the poor masses who may have to pay to avert possible disconnection of their SIM cards slated for January 19th for those with NIN and February 9th for those who have not enrol respectively.
Nigerians deserves better. Now, the question is, how many enrollment centres do we have in Nigeria? What about those in rural areas? What is the fate of those who don't have money to pay as demanded by enrollment officers?
Untill these questions are answered, disconnection of SIM cards would only bring about hardship in the society. This is because many businesses would be affected, especially SMEs and telecom companies in the country. Since the ban on SIM Swap and others, many Nigerians has been lamenting over loss in business connections among others.
Here is a call on the authorities involved (NIMC, NCC and the Minister of information) to further reconsider the initial move to disconnect people's SIM cards.
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