By Romeo Moses/National Correspondent
The Liberian Senate has directed three of its standing committees to review a proposed US$52 million concession agreement between the Government of Liberia and Germany-based OeSD International GmbH for the development of a national digital civil registry and vital statistics system.
The decision followed the submission of the agreement by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, who is seeking legislative ratification of the deal.
The proposed agreement, titled “Concession Agreement for the Design, Supply, Installation, Commissioning and Maintenance of the National Identification Central Digital Civil Registry and Vital Statistics System (NIDCRVS), a Build, Operate and Transfer Concession,” aims to establish a centralized national identification and civil registration platform.
Under the Senate’s directive, the Committees on Autonomous Agencies, Judiciary, and Concessions will examine the agreement and report their findings to plenary within two weeks before lawmakers consider whether to ratify the deal.
According to the Executive Mansion’s submission, the project is intended to modernize Liberia’s identity management system by integrating physical and digital identification records into a single national database. The initiative is also aimed at strengthening governance, improving the collection and management of vital statistics, and supporting national development planning.
Valued at US$52 million, the project seeks to provide government institutions with accurate demographic and civil registration data to inform policymaking, public service delivery, and targeted development programs.
President Boakai said the system would facilitate the identification of Liberian citizens, legal residents, and visitors within the country’s territorial boundaries while creating and maintaining a centralized database for national identity management.
The proposed platform would also support government efforts to identify taxpayers, public revenue contributors, and beneficiaries of state-funded services and programs.
If implemented, the system would maintain records of individuals eligible for key public and private services, including healthcare, education, security services, pensions, banking and financial services, driver’s licenses, passports, property ownership, company registration, and mobile SIM card registration.
In addition, the database would store identity-related information relevant to national development, including professional qualifications, investment records, property registrations, and details of company shareholders and directors.
The Senate’s referral of the agreement to committee level marks the first stage of legislative scrutiny for the proposed concession. The committees’ findings and recommendations will inform the Senate’s decision on whether to approve the agreement between the Liberian government and OeSD International GmbH.
Their report is expected within two weeks, after which the Senate will deliberate and determine the next course of action.
