HOME Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo says the Ministry has issued 1,592,974 National Registration Cards (NRCs), exceeding government’s targeted number of 1.5 million.
And Kampyongo says all Lusaka registration offices were closed due to suspected COVID-19 cases.
Speaking in Parliament, Tuesday, Kampyongo attributed the success of the exercise to the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders.
“Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Home Affairs planned to issue 1,500,000 registration cards to eligible Zambians. I am happy to inform this August House and the nation at large that a total of 1,592,974 National Registration Cards were issued between the 1st of August and the 4th of November, 2020, representing 106 per cent overall success rate. The breakdown of these statistics is as follows: Eastern Province, the target was to issue 210,000 NRCs, the actual number of NRCs issued stands at 188,661, representing the performance percentage of 90 per cent; Muchinga Province, the target was 90,000, the actual number of NRCs issued is 106,128, representing 118 per cent success rate; Northern Province, the target was 110,000, the actual number of NRCs issued stands at 171,800, representing 156 per cent performance rate,” Kampyongo said.
“Luapula Province, the targeted number was 100,000, the actual number of NRCs issued stands at 181,041, representing a performance rate of 181 per cent; Lusaka Province, the target was to issue 240,000 NRCs, the actual NRCs issued stands at 189,900, representing the performance rate of 70 per cent; Copperbelt Province, the target was to issue 270,000 NRCs, the actual number of NRCs issued stands at 250,072, representing the performance percentage of 93 per cent; Central Province, the target was to issue 140,000 NRCs, the total number of NRCs issued stands at 202,758 NRCs, representing the performance rate of 145 per cent; North-Western, the target was to issue 80,000 NRCs, the total number of NRCs issued stands at 107,813 representing the performance of 135 per cent; Western Province, the projected number of NRCs to be issued was 100,000, the actual number of NRCs issued stands at 51,557, representing the performance rate of 52 per cent; Southern Province, the projected number of NRCs to be issued was 160,000, the actual number of NRCs issued stands 143,244, representing the performance of 90 per cent. The total number of NRCs issued both replacement of lost cards, damaged cards, including the issuance of new NRCs, stands at 1,592,974. The success of the exercise is attributed to collaborative efforts by all stakeholders.”
And Kampyongo said that all Lusaka registration offices were closed last Friday due to suspected COVID-19 cases.
“Allow me to make a clarification on the temporary closure of the National Registration offices in Lusaka District. On Friday, the 20th of November, 2020, some applicants, who visited the Department of National Registration Passport and Citizenship headquarters tested positive to COVID-19. Following the said findings, the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) team, together with the Ministry of Health, responded immediately by disinfecting the premises and having all members of staff tested. As a result, the Ministry suspended operations at all registration offices in Lusaka District. Further, on 23rd November, 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs closed all the offices in Southern Province for a day to facilitate an audit and also ensure that they equally put measures in place to observe the health measures,” said Kampyongo.
