More Malawians want to reduce their age, NRB shocked
Amid pressure for job opportunities with many more jobs reserved to only those yet to reach a certain age, many Malawians are increasingly seeking to revise downwards their dates of birth, the National Registration Bureau (NRB) has revealed.
The majority of those applying to change their dates of birth in the national database are eyeing recruitment by the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) and Malawi Police Service (MPS) which annually conduct recruitment exercises and are currently involved in one.
The move is concerning enough that it has prompted NRB to issue a statement, reminding citizens that date of birth, unlike names of persons, cannot be changed anyhow as wished by many seeking it.
The National Registration Act of 2010 mandates NRB to protect all particulars in the National Registration and Identification System (Population Register) as presented by every citizen at the time of registration, according to an official statement released Monday.
What NRB cannot do is to change willy-nilly when anyone is born, the statement adds.
“NRB would like to clearly inform the general public that Date of Birth on National Identity Card is a restricted parameter which cannot be changed anyhow by an individual’s request,” the bureau said in a statement signed by its principal secretary Mark Sambo.
In an interview, Sambo told The Daily Times that NRB was concerned by the volume of applications for the change but said the bureau has no mandate to change the age of any citizen.
“We want to notify Malawians that we are not mandated to change the date of birth of anyone. There are a lot of people coming asking for a change of their date of birth for them to have an opportunity to join MDF or MPS. Unfortunately, according to the laws, we can’t do that,” Sambo said.
The concern comes as the MDF has embarked on officer cadet and regular soldier recruitment processes.
The recruitment has the maximum age of 24 for either post. MPS, on the other hand, recruits those below the age of 30.
The Israel labour export deal, which is enabling youths to get jobs in the Middle East country, requires applicants to be aged between 18 and 35.
In an interview, Youth and Society Executive Director Charles Kajoloweka said the development may be due to lack of opportunities among the people.
“If opportunities were there, people wouldn’t be interested in manipulating their ages,” Kajoloweka said.
He then called on NRB to treat the matter with due diligence.
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