The Bayelsa Government on Friday called on parents and guardians to take advantage of the current long vacation to register their children and wards in the ongoing National Identity Card registration.

The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Jonathan Obuebite, made the call following the low turnout of residents for the exercise at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) office in Yenagoa.

Obuebite noted with dismay that from the available statistics of registered persons, non-indigenes recorded more when compared to the indigenes.

He said that the card would in future become one of the requirements to obtain the Nigerian passport, recruitment into state and federal agencies and other related agencies.

The commissioner, however, advised parents to make haste and register their children and not to wait for the last day before rushing for it.

“Bayelsa people should hurry up and register in the ongoing National Identification exercise, because it is going to be very useful to them later,” Obuebite said.

He also called on the NIMC to decentralize the exercise because of the riverine nature of the state to enable those residing in the far flung communities to participate.

NAN