By David Atangana
Opposition leader Maurice Kamto has criticized the government’s decision to outsource the production of the country’s National Identity Card (NIC) to a foreign company.
The Government of Cameroon has contracted the German biometric technology company, AUGENTIC, to build and manage the nation’s identification card system for the next 15 years.
The deal was finalized in Yaoundé on May 13 between AUGENTIC and the Delegation for National Security.
The new agreement with AUGENTIC followed a similar arrangement made in 2021, when the same company was contracted to manage Cameroon’s passport system.
Kamto argues that this move compromises national security by placing vital state data in the hands of a foreign entity.
“…NIC and passports fall under the sovereignty of the state, which contribute to defense and national security,” Kamto said in a recent release.
“As a result, the production of NICs cannot be entrusted to foreign companies, especially since there is national expertise in these areas.”
Kamto has called on the government to clarify the rationale behind such a deal, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability.
He has also urged the Parliament to investigate the NIC production crisis and assess the justification for the increased costs imposed on Cameroonians.
The cost of obtaining a passport was raised to FCFA 110,000 once AUGENTIC took over the contract to issue the document within two days.
A similar cost increase was recently imposed on national ID cards, with promises that the document will be issued within two days by the end of the year, with AGENTIC at the helm of production.
