The National Identification Authority (NIA) on Thursday, 11th June, 2020, have started the distribution of over 4000 Ghana cards,in Bole District of the Savannah Region, an exercise that will be undertaken for a week.
At the end of the exercise, it is expected that 11,062,850 Ghanaians would be issued with the Ghana card.
Mr. Tanga Yaw, District Registration Officer, in Bole told Yagbon News that turnout for today has been slow and attributed the slow pace of the exercise to the fact that it was the first day and was optimistic that the numbers would increase in the coming days.
He said the procedure for collection of one’s card included the mentioning of the name, after which an official would go through the picture register and available cards to pick it out.
When one’s card is found, the person would be asked to clean his or her hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, after which he or she could proceed to either sign or thumbprint on a sheet provided and then claim the card afterwards.
He urged the public to attach importance to the exercise and not wait for “last minute” as was the usual culture of citizens.
Mr Yaw, said the card was important and would help in the flushing out of criminals in the country as one’s detailed information are contained in the card.
He added that with the Ghana card in one’s possession it is essay to move in and out of any ECOWAS member country without hindrance.
He advised all coming for the card to wear nose masks and observe the
necessary COVID-19 protocols to the latter to prevent the spread of the virus.
Background.
The National Identification Authority started its mass registration on April 29, 2019, covering Ghanaians from 15 years and above.
The Executive Secretary to the NIA, prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah told journalist that the Ghana card will replace other cards in the system and must be accepted by all institutions as a valid ID card .
Memoranda of understanding, he said has been signed with some state bodies such as DVLA, SSNIT, NHIA and GRA among others so that they replace their industry specific ID cards with the Ghana card, as part of measures to save the country’s kitty.
He also said the Economic Community of West African States has agreed that the ECOWAS card be integrated into the Ghana card as one.
“The card is valid for ten years after which every citizen will be registered to renew at a fee, replacement of card or loss order at anytime will attract a fee” prof Attafuah noted.
Currently 11,062,985 Ghanaians have been registered of which 11,000, 582 cards have been printed.
The Ghana card is one of the basic requirements to be used by the Electoral Commission in the compilation of the controversial new voters register which is set to commence on June, 30, 2020.
Source: Yagbonradioonline.com
