The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), giving it access data on citizens’ national IDs as one of the ways to fight financial crimes including money laundering.
Agatha Mutenyo, the director of finance and administration at NIRA, said that after several discussions between the two agencies, they decided to formalize the collaboration to enable each of the institutions to execute their mandate, avoid duplication of resources and ensure efficiency.
“The provision for access and usage of the information on the register is keeping in line with the intention of government to set up a centralized register of citizens and legally resident aliens that would constitute the primary source of information on a person’s identities,” Mutenyo said.
She explained that as part of the deal, NIRA would hand over four electronic card readers to help the FIA verify information provided by people interacting with the body as they have a system that reads all data contained on the national identity cards as well as a provision for thumbprints for verification.
NIRA also promised to provide training to 20 FIA staff on the usage of these card readers and equip them with users’ guides concerning their operations among other necessary skills.
Sydney Asubo, FIA executive director said that the real-time verification of national identification data received by FIA using card readers will enable the identification of all persons appearing before them and the machines will greatly help in analyzing information and help in identifying people behind suspicious transactions.
“Identity goes beyond the name and date birth but also includes things like place of residence. Getting this information will greatly help us in fulfilling our mandate of fighting money laundering and terrorism financing.” Asubo said, adding that even the foreign nationals will be easily identified through the directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control of the ministry of Internal Affairs.
NIRA also revealed that they have been facing a challenge in registering non-Ugandan citizens since the first priority has been equipping Ugandans with National Identification Cards but will now focus on considering non-citizens entering the country as well and equip them with the identification cards.
For any Opinions, breaking news, Exposes, story ideas, human interest articles or Or Exclusive inside Stories; email Uganda Daily on: [email protected].