Uganda’s ID registration Authority apologizes for staff attitude towards clients
The Ugandan National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) issued an official apology statement following accusations of poor staff attitude towards clients at their offices.
The apology came after a Ugandan woman using the TikTok handle @marxmarah posted a video depicting how NIRA staff behave when Ugandans go to apply for official identification documents.
In the video, while donning heavy makeup and the dismissing attitude to match, she portrayed a NIRA staff member talking down at a female client who came to replace her lost ID card. She kept asking the ‘client’ if she had followed the necessary procedures in reporting the lost card then proceeded to rudely ask her for her particulars for the new registration.
At one point, she even took out her mobile phone during the registration process and made a personal phone call sending someone on the other end of the call to do household food shopping for her. She then returned rudely and dismissively spoke to the female ‘client’. Again, in the middle of the registration process, the ‘NIRA staffer’ kept addressing others around her and telling off the ‘client’ at the same time before processing the documents and making more personal phone calls.
In their statement, to which they attached the TikToker’s videos, NIRA apologized that their staffers were not behaving as expected of them.
“We at NIRA wish to sincerely apologize for the poor customer experience you have suffered at our hands. We are sorry for the callousness, indifference, indifference, lack of empathy and appalling customer care. As we continue the journey of holding our staff for courteous and professional service, we request you to report all such behavior on (WhatsApp) 0770649960. Please do not hesitate to attach any evidence that will help us curb this bad behavior. Thank you,” said NIRA on November 4, 2023.
In response, Ugandans told off the Authority, directing them to borrow a leaf from other parastatals that treated customers much better.
“Why don’t you guys borrow a leaf from the passport office?? Let assessments be done online so that the applicant just comes to your offices for verification,” said Kalema Josel to which NIRA responded by saying, “Thank you, our next system gives room for pre-registration. A pre-registered applicant only shows up to our registration centers for biometrics to be captured. Thank you.”
“You should learn from the customer care at Uganda House Nairobi, I went there and they made me feel very proud to be a Ugandan,” added John Godwill.
WATCH: https://x.com/NIRA_Ug/status/1720708914759582171?s=20
“Kindly pass by the Drivers licensing office if you want to know what efficiency, professionalism, and customer care are, NIRA is still my worst-ever institute, the process for a driving permit is the same as required for a national ID, so explain to us why IDs takes years,” opined Monde Ambrose.