Earlyface

Plans are on the way for a gradual
phasing out of the voters card to be
replaced by the National Identity Cards in
future elections in the country.
Minister of Information, Labaran Maku
who disclosed this after the Federal
Executive Council meeting yesterday
revealed that the council also approved
the sum of N2.1billion for the printing of
33.5 million Permanent Voters Card by the
Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC.
The minister said the permanent Voter’s
card which will have a life span of ten
years will contain unique biometric
features that will identify the voter.
According to the Minister, “following the
successful conduct of the Nationwide
Voters registration in 2011, the
commission proposed to print
73,500,000 permanent ?oters cards to
replace the temporary voters cards issued
during the voters registration.
The commission printed 40,000,000
permanent cards in 2011 for the first
phase of the project which is in progress.
There is the need to print and issue the
remaining 35.000,000 permanent Voters
card.
“After deliberations, Council approved the
contract for the second phase of the
printing of Permanent Voters’s Cards at
the rate of N65.00 per card in the sum of
N2,117,500,000 with a completion period
of 6 months” he said.
The minister explained that INEC estimates
that the permanent Voters Cards will be
used for elections in 2015 and 2019 after
which the National Identity Cards would
be the instrument for use in elections in
the country.
Also yesterday, the Federal Executive
approved the institutionalisatio n of a six
level national vocational qualifications
framework in Nigeria and the placement
of the national vocational qualifications in
the scheme of service.
Minister of Education, Professor
Ruqayyatu Rufa’I who disclosed this
emphasised that the scheme is to down
play over reliance on paper qualification
and integrate skilled professionals into
the scheme of service both in the public
and Private sector.
According to her, “as Nigeria aspires to
become a major player in the world
economy, the place of skilled and
competent workforce cannot be under
played.
“A competent workforce necessary for
higher productivity and effective
implementation of development projects
are building blocks for the economy
“The phenomenon of vocational skills
framework as been embraced by many
countries as a vital scheme to enhance
development of competent workforce and
ensure that qualifications to occupations
are flexible, transparent and accountable.
“As Nigeria transforms to one of the
world’s major economies, the greatest
asset needed is a competent workforce,
which the council believes could be best
realized under the National Vocational
Qualifications Framework (NVQF)” she
said.
Also presenting her progress report to
the council yesterday, the Minister of
Woman Affairs, Zainab Maina said through
the activities of the Ministry, women were
able to attain 36% of cabinet positions
while 26% of federal Permanent
secretaries are women.
She said her ministry is working with the
national Assembly to strengthen the laws
again molestation, adding that more
stringent measures would be
recommended as punishment for those
convicted of molestation.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/04/
fg-to-replace-voters-card-national-
identity-cards/