The Plenary of the Liberian Senate has mandated its Committees on Autonomous, Judiciary, and Concessions to investigate a US$52 million concession agreement between the Government of Liberia and OeSD International GMBH.
The decision followed a communication from President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, submitting for ratification an instrument titled “Concession Agreement for the Design, Supply, Installation, Commission and Maintenance of the National Identification Central Digital Civil Registry and Vital Statistics System (NIDCRVS),” under a Build, Operate and Transfer arrangement.
In his communication to the Senate, President Boakai said the agreement seeks to establish a framework for developing a reliable national identification system and generating vital statistics to inform targeted interventions and government policy decisions.
The proposed National Identification System is intended to integrate physical and digital identity management, strengthen governance, accelerate national development, and promote economic growth.
According to the President, the system will ensure effective identification of Liberian citizens, legal residents, and visitors within the country’s territorial boundaries. It will also establish and maintain a central identity database to support national identity management and the government’s development agenda.
The system is further expected to maintain comprehensive records of individuals eligible for essential services, including healthcare, education, security, pensions, banking and financial inclusion, driver’s licenses, passports, property ownership, company registration, and mobile SIM card registration.
Additionally, the database is expected to retain information that supports Liberia’s development, including details on professions, investors, property registration, and company shareholders and directors.
Meanwhile, the Senate has directed the relevant committees to investigate the concession agreement and report back to Plenary within two weeks for further consideration and a decision on the proposed ratification; writes Ablee-Jay TV
