Demola Aladekomo, Managing Director, Chams Plc, a leading identity management and payments system company in Nigeria has said that government can improve on the delivery of service to the people with the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
The MD of Chams who dropped this hint at the kick-off the Anambra State residents’ identification scheme said the programme will enable the government to deliver health, welfare, transportation, among other services to the people.
“The utilisation of information and communication technology to improve service delivery in the public sector in Nigeria will make governance inclusive – bringing it closer to the people.“It implies improved access to public service and drastic reduction in the high incidence of fraud and wastage often associated with public sector welfare programmes”, Aladekomo added.
Chams explained that implementation of resident identity management by state governments will ensure proper allocation of resources to various sectors of a state economy in a way that meets the real needs of residents of the state.
Aladekomo reckoned that the programme “provides exceptional opportunity to cut capital and recurrent administrative costs, while also protecting citizens such as pensioners by making it difficult for dishonest persons to steal their benefits. “It is a welcome development that Anambra is at the forefront of heralding access to improved public services through e-government channels.”
Explaining further, Olufemi Williams, Deputy Managing Director, Chams Plc, also said, “the ongoing implementation of residents’ identity management programmes by Anambra State will enhance the ability of the state government to make short, medium and long-term plans for the benefit of their people. “Upon completion, the state government will no longer depend on sketchy data in their bid to formulate and implement policies, projects and programmes because the number of people to cater for across sectors, and in rural and urban areas is known.”
According to the technology company Anambra State government can use data from the resident identity scheme to classify neighbourhoods based on their population, “thereby making adequate provision for public utilities in each neighbourhood based on the number of residents.”