The National Identification Authority (NIA), has clarified its identification scope for the Ghana card registration, saying persons without passports and birth certificates could get relatives who will stand in as guarantors during the registration process.
This clarification is expected to allay the fears of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), that over 20 million Ghanaians could be disenfranchised if the NIA sticks to its current mode of registration, which according to the party only recognizes passports and birth certificates for identification.
[contextly_sidebar id=”VH7iIWxnNm4FFSswBVetciQdOUyRoXWP”]The Public Relations Officer for the NIA, Francis Palmdetti, clarified the issue on Eyewitness News saying “persons who don’t have these will need a resident who has already registered to vouch for them or two other persons who will testify for them under oath. The NIA will under no circumstances want to exclude eligible people from the registration process.” he noted.
Over 2700 personnel are being trained by the Judiciary to administer oaths and certify Ghanaians without the required identification.
The former President John Dramani Mahama and the Minority in Parliament had earlier raised concerns over the criteria announced by the NIA for the registration, saying it could denationalise over 20 million Ghanaians.
The former President had however assured that the NDC would do everything possible to have the identification scope expanded.
This was after members of the minority NDC in Parliament threatened to boycott the process.
About the Ghana card
The issuance of a National Identification ID card is among the government’s key promises to formalise the country’s economy.
Under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in 2009, the NIA began the process to register and issue the National ID card to all Ghanaians.
About 11 million people in six regions of the country were registered as part of the process between 2009 and 2010.
The cards were however not entirely ready for collection among other challenges.
Most banks and some state institutions also rendered them useless as they rejected them as an unrecognised state ID card.
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By: Marian Ansah/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah
