By Francis Godwin Matukio Daima Media
Iringa
The National Identification Authority (NIDA) in Iringa Region has pledged to reach vulnerable youth benefiting from the Youth Agency in Mufindi (YAM) Project in Mpanga, Tazara, and Mapanda wards, which are located in remote parts of Mufindi District, to facilitate their registration for National Identity Cards.
The IDs will enable them to access local government loans and other socio-economic opportunities.
Speaking to Matukio Daima Media in response to concerns raised by the youth about missing out on government loan opportunities due to the lack of National IDs, Janeth Shayo, NIDA Registration Officer for Iringa Region, said that all eligible youth have the right to obtain National Identity Cards.
She explained that if distance is the main challenge, the beneficiaries can organize themselves through the YAM Project or the Mufindi District Council, after which NIDA will dispatch a registration team to their location.
Janeth noted that NIDA has previously responded to requests from institutions seeking registration services for their employees or members, and the YAM Project can utilize the same arrangement to ensure the participating youth receive their National Identity Cards on time.
She also observed that many applicants complete the registration process but fail to collect their IDs until they urgently need them.
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge everyone who has received a notification that their National ID is ready to visit the nearest NIDA office and collect it,” she said.
Speaking during the training sessions, the vulnerable youth appealed to the Government, through the National Identification Authority (NIDA), to bring registration and identification services closer to communities in remote areas in order to reduce travel costs and the inconvenience of accessing these services.
The youth explained that most NIDA services are currently available only at district or regional offices, forcing residents of remote villages to travel long distances.
“As young people, we need National Identity Cards so that we can qualify for local government loans. Without these IDs, we are excluded from youth, women, and persons with disabilities loan schemes provided by local councils,” they said.
They added that transport costs have become a major obstacle, with some individuals spending between TZS 40,000 and TZS 50,000 to travel to NIDA offices for registration, correction of personal information, or collection of their National Identity Cards.
“This situation affects young people and rural residents the most because many cannot afford these costs repeatedly. Bringing NIDA services closer to wards and villages would make it easier to obtain National IDs and increase the number of citizens accessing the service on time,” they added.
The youth further proposed that NIDA introduce mobile registration services or establish temporary registration centers in remote communities to reduce congestion at district and regional offices.
They expressed hope that the Government would consider their recommendations, emphasizing that national identification is essential for accessing various social and economic services and should therefore be easily accessible to all citizens.
A total of 120 young people from vulnerable households in Mpanga, Tazara, and Mapanda wards are currently participating in agricultural and livestock farming training at Igoda, Mufindi.
The training sessions are being provided by Foxes Community and Wildlife Conservation (FCWC) through the Youth Agency in Mufindi (YAM) Project, in collaboration with the Mufindi District Council, with financial support from the Deaconess Foundation, FCWC, and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA).
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