Stakeholders have called on the Federal Government to take proactive steps in the effective implementation of Basic Registry information system in Nigeria (BRISIN).
BRISIN was approved by Federal government in 2007 to promote good governance, job creation, credible data management as well as fight endemic corruption and other socio economic vices in the country but have suffered setbacks towards it implementation in the Federal Capital Territory.
The Head of BRISIN in Nigeria, Dr. Anthony Uwa, while speaking in Abuja said that if implemented, investors will be happy to see that finally, Nigeria would be valued and respected for building the system for data governance and also attract investors to come to Nigeria
According to him, BRISIN did not and has never stopped, it is ongoing. He therefore called on the coordinating Agency, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to live to its responsibilities and synergize with the Technical / Implementation Committee to meet with solution providers in getting the desired result.
He said: “There is need to re-strategize for implementation, in the interim a tripartite urgent meeting between the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and solution providers should be held to agree on pending issues and obligations. System like BRISIN cannot be toiled with in a country like Nigeria if we must think of unity, equity and justice. ”
Dr. Uwa explained that the project was to be implemented in phases starting with preparatory stage which leads to pilot in FCT. “We finished the preparatory stage in 2008; started the awareness campaign with FCT providing a temporary operating office without logistics. Funds were not released. So, after exhausting the external sourced funds, we could not do much but continued on sensitization which led to Presidency’s request that funds should be released and more provision for the extension of pilot to Geo-Political Zones. FCT actually continued budgeting but funds were not released.
He added: “In 2013, National Assembly Committee on FCT wrote to both MBNP and FCT to implement the project since they have been approving the budget as requested by them on the project. In 2015, Presidency approved the inauguration of National Technical / Implementation Committee to liaise with the solution providers for the interest of every sectors. of the economy.
“After the inauguration, several meetings were held, planning for the official flag-off of the pilot in FCT. A sensitization tour of the MDAs took place and many investors both local and international showed interest; all waiting for the Flag-off but were disappointed. Italy and EU as well as other countries showed interest and are still waiting, not forgetting that it was the G7 that advised Nigeria that to be great, it must have database to govern their development.”
Going further, Dr. Uwa expressed bitterness that in 2019, an attempt was made to start the implementation with the social department of FCT to create the database of all the people living with disability, a recruitment exercise was conducted online to avoid unqualified candidates getting the jobs but the whole process was halted till date without any clear explanation by the coordinating agency.
