The National Identification Authority (NIA) has firmly denied allegations that it is issuing Ghana Cards to minors during the current Electoral Commission (EC) limited voter registration exercise.
The accusations, made by former Communications Minister Dr. Omane Boamah, were described by the NIA as “absolutely untrue, most shocking and unfair.”
In a statement issued by the NIA Corporate Affairs Directorate, Dr. Boamah was urged to report any NIA official he knows to be involved in such activities to the Ghana Police Service.
The NIA emphasized that the registration process includes rigorous biographic and biometric data collection and verification procedures to ensure only eligible Ghanaians receive Ghana Cards.
The statement stressed that any allegations of registering minors should be reported to the police, and that ineligible applicants can and must be challenged by anyone who doubts their eligibility.
The NIA clarified that the registration of Ghanaians in the Pusiga District was initiated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on August 30, 2023, following a stakeholder consultation on border security along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.
The registration exercise began on May 20, 2024, with the IOM covering all costs, including surveying and selecting registration centers, deploying personnel and equipment, and conducting and supervising the registration exercise.
The NIA also highlighted that the collaboration with IOM is legally supported by a Purchase Order for General Services, executed on May 3, 2024.
The NIA insisted that it has not empowered any unqualified persons with the Ghana Card for voting purposes.
Contrary to claims that NIA officials were driven away by National Democratic Congress (NDC) officials from an EC registration center in Pusiga, the NIA stated it was unaware of such incidents.
They also clarified that the arrest of an EC officer for using a single Ghana Card to register multiple individuals was unrelated to the NIA.
The NIA reiterated its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and transparency.
It stated that the Ghana Card registration exercise in the Pusiga District is lawful and aimed at ensuring accurate identification for vulnerable populations along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border.
This initiative is to facilitate their access to public services and ensure their security.
The NIA’s achievements since April 29, 2019, include registering 17,904,157 Ghanaians aged 15 and above and issuing 17,152,511 Ghana Cards.
It has also established 16 regional offices and 276 operational district offices and integrated data with various user agencies, resulting in significant cost savings and moving towards a unified identity management system.
Over 120 million verifications have been conducted through the Identity Verification System Platform (IVSP) without a single hitch, involving banks, telecom companies, and other financial institutions.
The NIA remains dedicated to its mandate of registering all eligible Ghanaians and foreign nationals permanently residing in Ghana, ensuring the accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, and security of the data collected.
