Governor Okezie Ikpeazu mandated Abia residents to obtain social security numbers to benefit from the state government’s services.

The governor on Wednesday officially launched the Abia State Social Identity Number (ASSIN) and enrolled in the scheme, the governor’s chief press secretary Onyebuchi Ememanka said in a statement.

Mr Ikpeazu, at the launch, stressed the importance of data in governance and administration, saying that ASSIN would help the Abia government in planning, addressing unemployment issues in the state, demographic distribution of infrastructure and resources, among others.

ASSIN would also be required in school enrolment and other businesses citizens have with the government, said the statement.

The governor added that he was looking forward to the digitalisation of all ministries, departments, and agencies in the state, pledging his administration’s support for the scheme in every way to make it successful as it would improve service delivery.

The Permanent Secretary and Executive Secretary, Abia State Planning Commission, Nnenna Chikezie, described ASSIN as an identity management platform that would capture users’ biometrics.

She also said Abia people in the diaspora could enrol using an internet-enabled android phone, explaining further that the need for the scheme was long overdue as it was required for planning purposes, including capturing the state’s developmental strides.

Ms Chikezie added that two million Abia citizens were targeted for capture and registration in 12 months, as ASSIN would identify anybody desiring services from the Abia government.

She said the registration details would soon be made public and thanked the governor for initiating the scheme.