Civil society appeals to government to establish national ID issuance center in Aweil

Civil society activist Jokdit Gar has requested the government of Northern Bahr El Ghazal state to establish office in the immigration department to issue out national identity cards to locals.

Gar who works with the Civic Engagement Center- a local NGO in the state, said the issuance of national IDs will save time and money for residents who often have travel to Juba, the capital to receive their documents.

“There are a lot of issues that ignite a strong impulse or urge so that one can be bothered to have it, one of these is if you a relative or friend arrested and you need to get bail. How would you do that if you are told by the police to present your national ID as surety of the accused person in detention?” Gar said while appearing local FM station Akol Yaam FM over the weekend in Aweil town.

He said many unemployed youth are unable to get jobs because of lacking national IDs.

Bulis Nguak, an advocate appealed to the state government to expedite the process of establishing immigration office to issue out national IDs in Aweil town.

 “There is a lot that the state government has to embark on, despite the ignorance of our people on the importance of national IDs,” he said.

Nguak said they currently have two centers in Aweil town and Aweil East County where people fill application forms for acquiring national IDs.

“This poses challenges to the people in the far-flung areas to spend a lot of money to travel to these places to fill registration forms,” Nguak said.