Thursday Session on 19th June which marked the 11th Day Sitting of the House of Representatives was a scene of expressions of mix-reactions from lawmakers across the flood during the appearance of the National Identification Registry (NIR) head Andrew Peters.
Mr. Peter’s invitation was due to a communication written by Bong County District #6 Lawmaker, Moima Briggs-Mensah, who accordingly complained about the timeframe and constrains citizens are facing to acquire the National Identification Cards, especially rural dwellers due to the inefficiency of the NIR functions across the country.
Rep, Briggs-Mensah , also raised concern that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s Executive Order 126 which mandates every citizen to obtain the identification cards before accessing bank services and receiving financial transactions presently is not in the best interest of the Liberian people.
According to her, the period under review is too short to enable every citizen acquire the citizen cards before the time under review expires.
“ I think the president is clothed with authority to pronounce an executive order but with the information coming from the NIR Boss that embedded with lots of challenges now, it is not in the best interest of the citizens, this order needs to be revisited,’ Rep. Briggs-Mensah recommended.
According to her, the citizens are their employers; as such, their rights need to be protected stressing, the revelation from the NIR boss of only one printing machine, lack of durability of cards, timeframe among other things, is a serious challenge that needs to be looked at seriously.
She also observed that President Boakai was not properly informed by NIR head of the situation surrounding the printing of the cards and its associated challenges before coming up with Executive Orders 126 and 147 respectively.
“I’m not against the fact that every citizen needs to have a citizen identification card but it needs to be done properly as the ongoing process comes with lots of challenges, “Rep. Briggs-Mensah noted.
She also told the media that the pronouncement of Executive Order 147, placing restriction on using the Liberian passports to access bank transaction at this time is a serious challenge and also needs to be revisited.
According to her, the Liberian passports are wildly accepted internationally and can in no way be rejected locally. She then called on President Boakai to reconsider his decision for the common good of the country.
Moreover, the Bong Lawmaker maintained that the issue of every citizen getting identification cards is welcoming but said with current day challenges being faced by Liberians, there is a need that government takes on the responsibilities of free registration for a period of one year in order to enable more Liberians get enrolled in the process.