Residents of Okakarara and surrounding communities have since Monday flocked to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security (MHAISS) stand at the Okakarara Annual Trade Fair to obtain new identity (ID) cards.

The Ministry at its office in Okakarara, does not capture ID cards but only offers services such as birth registrations, notification of birth, and late registration of birth, as well as duplicates of missing birth certificates, ID duplicates, and passport issuance.

Speaking to Nampa, Amanda Sikuvi from the Ministry said the Ministry noticed the people's need to acquire this service and chose to participate in the Okakarara Annual Trade Fair and to allow residents to apply for damaged or lost ID cards.

''The Ministry desired to provide services to the residents of Okakarara because the sub-regional office that we have here does not capture ID cards and most of the larger services that the Ministry provides are only available in Otjiwarongo or either at the main office in Windhoek,'' she explained.

Sikuvi stated that hundreds of inhabitants had been arriving since Monday, the majority of whom required the capture of ID cards and ranged from 16 years to older.

She encouraged those in need of IDs to bring along the necessary documents, such as a full birth certificate for first-time ID card applicants. If the ID card is lost and persons want to apply for a new ID card, they must present N.dollars 100 to apply for a duplicate.

‘’Namibians who want the new ID card but have their old card should simply declare that they want the new card, and if the card is 20 years or older, they do not have to pay for it,” she explained.

She encouraged locals to take advantage of the opportunity, and obtain their outstanding documents, adding that once you apply for an ID card or passport, it would be ready in two days.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency