Thursday, 17 May 2012
What Would Happen To The INEC DDC Machines After The Voter’s Registration Exercise?
By Victor Olapojoye
This is the question every right thinking Nigerian should be asking right now. INEC spent N35b of the people’s money to procure this equipment, and I think it excludes the cost of putting the underlying infrastructure –network, database, etc - in place. N35b converted to USD is about $233m. Now, the projected global market for the biometric industry is about $7.1b by 2012, out of this, the market for the fingerprint sub-sector is projected to be about $2.7b by 2012.
What this means is that INEC’s current investment of $233m will represent about 9% of the global fingerprint market in 2012! This is huge, and the question has to be, what is the return on this enormous investment? It should be more than just having an electronic voters’ register. I did a global comparison to be able to effectively communicate the size of the investment. Nigerian companies could not handle it. INEC had to look for global suppliers.
The first logical question is, Prof Jega, what is going to happen to the DDC machines after the voter’s registration exercise? And please don’t tell me that you are going to put them in storage, because I will kill myself. (laugh). Here, let me tell you what usually happens. Right now, there are some individuals in government generally, not only at INEC, who are planning to steal and convert the DDC machines to their personal property, so they can send them to their business centers and join in the biometric data collection madness that is taking place in Nigeria right now. If Nigerians were vigilant in the past, the sheer number of automobiles that were purchased for the All African Games was enough to set up a profitable car rental business. But, what happened? Officials converted these vehicles into personal property, and before you knew what was going, all the vehicles were gone, and we had to purchase another set of automobiles for the U-17 World Championship some years later. Gosh! Even, that does not make sense to a crazy person. Well, I guess it makes sense to a greedy person.
Prof Jega, do you know that you can achieve total financial independence for INEC if you manage this investment very well? How good will it feel to know that you don’t have to go and face those chumps at the National Assembly to ask for money?
Here is what needs to be done. Before the commencement of the voters registration exercise, INEC needs to set up a Consulting unit within the commission that will be charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the DDC machines and the underlying infrastructure are put to work and generating revenue for INEC during the periods that they are not in use by INEC. The unit will ensure that the machines and its infrastructure are always available for use by INEC and its potentials clients. INEC can actually become the anchor for the biometric data capture industry in Nigeria. Just like government agencies have done all over the world in many industries. This unit will be responsible for conducting a valuation of the DDC machines and its underlying infrastructure. Additionally, they will advice the INEC board on the best approach to profitably manage and operate the DDC machines and the IT infrastructure assets. Options could range from management agreement to a lease agreement. A lot of the options can be fleshed out in detail later, if need be.
However, Prof, you will have to consult widely for this to be successful. I do not know if you have the power to create this Unit. Even, if you do, there is still the need to consult widely within government, both executive and National Assembly, because, I always get this feeling that many of you (government appointees) see your confirmation hearings as just an event, rather than start of a relationship that must be maintained to make your work easier.
The N35b INEC got is the biggest single most investment the Nigerian biometric market has seen. In fact, it is the biggest direct investment from government that has gone directly to its source of spending in recent times. This was possible because of the independence of INEC. Can you imagine if you had to go through the Ministry of Finance and possibly some banks in order to get the funding? I hope you get the flow.
I have intentionally left the issue of the upcoming election out of my write up because it does really matter what anyone thinks at this point. However, one thing I know for sure is that you are on the verge of making history if INEC gets it right.
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I dont know what to say, this
Submitted by Mickey habiby (not verified) on October 27, 2011 - 08:01.
I dont know what to say, this web site is amazing thats not truly a actually substantial statement.
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The quality of the DDC
Submitted by laffsy (not verified) on January 8, 2011 - 22:21.
The quality of the DDC machine is poor n some of its components are irrelevant. Instead of bringing an external webcam n finger printer scanner, y not just get a laptop that has all these components installed. Zinox u don hammer oooo
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The answer to your question
Submitted by Rabb Adebiyi (not verified) on December 8, 2010 - 06:48.
The answer to your question is simple and direct. The will go where the laptops that were used for the previous registration exercise went, i.e. the homes of INEC officials, local government staffers and ignorant politicians who do not know what a mouse is. Those dedicated laptops are museum pieces in private houses now.
Device(FingerScanning != fingerPionting)
Submitted by kulkat on December 8, 2010 - 06:23.
First of all, what exactly is this DDC Machine. For me I say Nigerian DDC Machine is a device which can collect and store biological information as well as personal data, and in this case, of a person. In short we are talking biometrics.
In information technology, biometrics refers to technology or technologies that measure and analyze human body characteristics, such as DNA, fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns and hand measurements, for authentication purposes. Because I am the true son of my father, once I am convince something did not just drop heaven, the next question is! can I make one? Surprise surprise the answer is yes.
so what do we need to make a one?
Well biometric devices, such as fingerscanners or Nigerian DDC Machines require few things
1 A Computing System or a device running some kind of Operating System. Could be a desktop, a deskbuttom, a laptop or even a cell phone might do just fine. Ubuntu rocks as an OS
2 An input device design to read or scan fingerprints. A usb mouse, keyboard, scanner, joystick are some examples of a System input device.
3 A device driver to introduce our newly acquire input device to our System.
A device driver is a software that converts the scanned information into digital form which can be store on the system for further processing.
4 A database system to store the biometric data and link it with an individual's name, address, occupation and etc. sqlite rocks, small enough to run on a wrist watch.
I have never met or know Prof. Jega but so far he is on the right path.
Jugging by the above information, with the exception of Item 2, everything on my list can be found on any useful computer, laptop or a cell phone. As such, if i connect a fingerscanner to my laptop i will have a DDC Machine.
I hope i had provided enough information here to enlighten some people. Other ethnics read SR and not just Nigerians and Africans. I hope with the above information, when ever we talk about DDC Machine we sound civilize.
There is really no such thing as clone laptops. I hope next time when A DDC machine resembles a laptop we know why.
Lastly it is time everyone think of other usefulness and application for our DDC Machine rather than unproductive finger pointing. After all it is costing $15 for every Nigerian.
DDC MACHINE?
Submitted by FEMI OLOKUN (not verified) on December 7, 2010 - 21:33.
WHAT ZINOX BROUGHT IN YESTERDAY ARE CLOWN LAPTOPS NOT DDC MACHINES PLS........IT IS A CLOWN COMPUTER,NORMAL WEB CAM, 12V BATTERY......THESE ARE NOT INTEGRATED DDC MACHINE SO WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT????????
Good question for INEC. Prof
Submitted by Daoud Akano (not verified) on December 7, 2010 - 16:54.
Good question for INEC. Prof Jega should provide a categorical answer.
Prof Jega should be held
Submitted by AE Oliver (not verified) on December 6, 2010 - 14:30.
Prof Jega should be held responsible if the machines disappear after the registration exercise. Maurice Iwu allowed that to happen and and in turn was allowed to just walked away. What a country! It is time we held people responsible for their actions or inactions while in public office. It sounds really silly that governemnt spent so much tax payers money to procure equipment only for the custodians to look the other way as they were pilfered. This is simply crazy. These machines would still be useful after the elections. They could be distributed to local governments for continuous registration exercise. Voters registration is not a one-off thing. Everyday persons attain the registration age and could walk up to their LGA for registration. This way we don't need to be running helter-skelter prior to elections in the name of registration. We should 'grow up' in this country.
Any usefulnes in DDC to private individuals?
Submitted by Onyekezulu (not verified) on December 5, 2010 - 14:04.
Thoughtful. Just looking at one part of your arguement, of what use would a biometric machine be to a private individual? I've not been able to see any, but someone can help me here. If there are none, fine and good. But if there are any, then I'm sorry to let you know Mr Victor that there is nothing that anyone including Jega can do to stop them from disappearing from the possession of INEC within a month of conclusion of the voters' registration.
What Would Happen To The INEC DDC Machines After The Voter’s Reg
Submitted by Nagari (not verified) on December 5, 2010 - 09:29.
Olapojoye, yours had made an interesting reading and i hailed your concern. God save our DDC machines and I pray to God to save JEGA help him make Nigeria proud also.
VOTERS REGISTRATION
Submitted by OLU OLO (not verified) on December 5, 2010 - 09:19.
LET US START SERIOUSLY TALKING ABOUT ABOUT LIFE AFTER THE VOTERS REGISTRATION EXERCISE.
AS I BELIEVE VOTERS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE A CONTINOUS EXERCISE,THE MACHINES SHOULD BE DESPATCHED TO EACH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA AND MANNED BY INEC STAFF.I AM SURE WE WILL SAY FRAUD BUT AS MOST NIGERIAN ARE SUPPOSE TO BE REGISTERED FROM AGE 18, ANYONE NOT REGISTERED AND TRYING TO REGISTER OVER 18 MUST PROVIDE PREVIOUS RECORD OR IF CAUGHT(THROUGH FINGER PRINT OR IRIS RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY ETC) TRYING TO DEFRAUD THE STATE SHOULD BE GIVEN A PRISON TERM WITH NO OPTION OF FINE.(I BELIEVE PROBLEM ONE SOLVED)
SOME OF THE DDC MACHINES SHOULD BE RECONFIGURED AND DESPATCHED FOR USE IN OUR IMMIGRATION OFFICES AND HIGH COMMISSION / EMBASSY BY THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT TO EASE PASSPORT ISSUANCE.THE DDC SYSTEM CAN THEREFORE SERVE A DUAL PURPOSE (PASSPORT ISSUANCE AND VOTERS REGISTRATION)LIKEWISE MAKE IT A CRIMMINAL OFFENCE FOR ANYONE TO TRY TO ACQUIRE A NIGERIAN PASSPORT ILLEGALLY OR ACQUIRE A SECOND PASSPORT WITH CANCELLING ONE OR REGISTER MORE THAN ONCE.
THESE TWO ABOVE POINTS WILL HELP US START A PROCESS OF ACTUALLY KNOWING THE POPULATION OF NIGERIANS AND LIKEWISE SERVE AS THE STARTING POINT OF CENSUS.
INEC,LIKEWISE WILL HAVE THESE MACHINES IN THEIR REGIONAL OR STATE OFFICES FOR CONTINOUS VOTERS REGISTRATION OR REVALIDATION.
IF, THE SYSTEM IS MANAGED PROPERLY WITH INEC AND OR WITH ANOTHER INDEPENDENT SUPERVISORY BODY IN CHARGE OF THE COMPUTER MAIN FRAME AND PROPERLY LINKED WITH EACH LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEATH REGISTRATION WITH DEATH BEING COMPULSORILY REGISTERED INCURRING A STRICT AND ENFORCEABLE PENALTY FOR NONE COMPLIANCE, WE WOULD HAVE STARTED ON THE RIGHT PATH.
LET US BRAIN STORM AND HOPE THAT PROF JEGA AND THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER ARE READING.
