New Unilorin Multi-functional ID Card Ready

In its sustained drive for excellence, the
University of Ilorin has scored another first
with the introduction of a multi-functional
staff and student identification card.
The new ID card, a one-stop smart card with
sophisticated features, can be used for financial transactions and for gaining access
to key facilities on campus, in addition to
serving the traditional function of
identification of its holders.
The “Combo Card” project, which is in
furtherance of the “Cashless Policy” of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), was
coordinated by the Office of the Deputy Vice-
Chancellor (Academic). The cards were
produced for the University by Interswitch
and it is the first of its kind by any university
in the country. Presenting the new “combo card” to the
Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali,
last Monday (September 9, 2013), the Project
Manager, Mr. Monsur Raji, said, “Unlike the
old ID card that just serves as a means of
staff and students' identification, the new card has three distinct functions, as it could
be used as payment card, access control and
identification.” It also contains the holder’s
blood group specification.
Mr. Raji explained that the card can be used
like the regular ATM cards, saying that “it can be loaded with specific amount of money
and used for payment anytime of the day or
night, from just about anywhere in the
world.”
The Project Manager pointed out that the
cards are also accepted as Payroll cards, as it could be used for fast payment from the
University Bursary Department to the account
of the card holder.
Mr. Raji also disclosed that the card would
also help in the physical security of the
campus as it will determine who gains access to key University facilities like the
Senate Building, the Library, the Clinic,
classrooms, hostels, offices, and Club
houses.
According to the Project Manager, the card
would serve “multiple identification purposes where staff members and students
would no longer have to carry multiple cards
such as Library identification cards, clinic
identification cards, club identification cards
and hostel cards.”
Receiving his new smart card, the Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Ambali, commended the
project team headed by the Deputy Vice-
Chancellor (Academic), Prof. R. A. Lawal, for a
job well done.
The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that the
introduction of the new smart card was part of the internationalization drive of the
University, saying, “The University of Ilorin is
trying to embrace the internationalization
drive whereby once you graduate from the
University you will feel comfortable wherever
you go. It is one of the best practices in today's world.”
Prof. Ambali said because of the
sophistication of the new smart card, the
Centre for Research, Development and In-
House Training (CREDIT) would be required to
organise an induction workshop for staff and students of the University on the operation of
the card.
Commenting on the usefulness of the new
card, the Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel D.
Obafemi, said it would help in checkmating
late coming and truancy as members of staff would be required to swipe their cards to
record the time of their arrival and closing
from work.