Constant changes hurt documentation for Nigerian citizens

Constant changes hurt documentation for Nigerian citizens

[html]You cannot achieve stability with unnecessary changes.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

You cannot achieve stability with unnecessary changes.

               
           
               
                   

Over the weekend, news surfaced that the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced a new yellow card, to replace the old one — which will be invalid by April 1, 2019.

               
           
               
                   

For nuance, what is a yellow card?

               
           
               
                   

A yellow card is the international certificate of vaccination or prophylaxis. The Federal Ministry of Health has said it will take N2, 000 to get the new yellow card.

               
           
               
                   

The card will also be ready upon vaccination for international travelers.

               
           
               
                   

                 

               

               
           
               
                   

The only difference with this and any sudden - and sometimes, unnecessary - change occasioned by the Federal Government is that processes to obtain it are more subtle and controlled.

               
           
               
                   

However, we would only know the workability of these processes when people start commending or criticizing it — which seems the more likely outcome, considering the track record of anything Nigerian.

               
           
               
                   

Nigeria’s regularity with (un)necessary and terribly managed changes

               
           
               
                   

Over the past five years, the Federal Government of Nigeria has made some unnecessary bureaucracy-based changes to things that relate to the livelihood of citizens.

               
           
               
                   

                                   

Old number plate style vs, New number plate in Nigeria (Legit NG/Premium Times)

               

               
           
               
                   

It never stops there, they then move right into making processes to get into these changes tedious for citizens. Till date, the change from the old meters to the prepaid meters remains up in the air.

               
           
               
                   

The various electricity distribution bodies for each zone will even tell you that prepaid meters are out of stock — whatever that means.

               
           
               
                   

ALSO READ: Court Of Appeal Sanctions New Plate Number

               
           
               
                   

In 2015, the Goodluck Jonathan administration, without consideration on the financial and logistical strain it would occasion on Nigerians, ordered Nigerians to get new number plates.

               
           
               
                   

It then made the processes to get seem more tedious than cracking an under-cooked walnut or harder than understanding the lyrics to a Young Thug song without having Genius close-by.

               
           
               
                   

Going slightly further back, the Nigerian government placed the onus of getting in the SIM registration and Bank Verification Number (BVN) on the telecommunication companies and banks respectively with a time constraint that seemed almost unrealistic, considering the usual Nigerian tendency for procrastination and lag.

               
           
               
                   

                                   

The process designed for the collection of PVC for Nigerians has been strenuous. A man was given a hard punch as a result.

               

               
           
               
                   

The same problem subsists with the Permanent Voters Card (PVC). Although it was relatively necessary to have new PVCs, the processes for getting one is so tedious and strenuous. One then wonders if the Federal Government will keep mandating Nigerians to get new PVCs every four years.