The National Identification Authority, NIA, has discounted a statement by the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, suggesting that Voter ID card is one of the mandatory registration identity documents for the Ghana card.
Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketia, speaking at the NDC Delegates’ Congress on Saturday, said the NIA is accepting the Voter ID card as one of the required registration identity documents in the Adentan Municipality where registration is ongoing.
But in a press release signed by the Head of Corporate Affairs of the NIA, ACI Francis Palmdeti, he stated that the mandatory requirements still stands at birth certificate, a valid passport, and a valid certificate of acquired citizenship.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NIA’s position is in strict compliance with section 3 of the National Identity Register (Amendment) Act, 2017 (Act 950), which specifies the mandatory identity documents for registration as (a) a birth certificate, (b) a valid passport and (c) a valid certificate of acquired citizenship. Under the law, a Ghanaian who has none of these documents can have one relative who has registered and been issued with the Ghana Card vouch for him or her as a Ghanaian, or in the absence of a relative, have two Ghanaians issued with the Ghana Card vouch that they know him/her to be a Ghanaian.”
In June, Former President John Mahama described the criteria required by NIA for or any Ghanaian who seeks to register for the card as illogical.
According to him, the move will denationalize over 20 million Ghanaians. The Ghana Card began registration at the Jubilee House on a low note after it failed to launch for five times despite several assurances.
The issuance of a National Identification ID card is among the government’s key promises to formalize 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 which was between 2009 and 2010.
The cards were however ready for collection later in 2011, although a number of them could not be accessed.
The card was rendered useless after most banks and some state institutions began rejecting them as an unrecognized state ID card.
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THE NIA HAS MADE IT CLEAR - IF YOU HAVE NO PASSPORT OR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, YOU DEFINITELY HAVE A RELATIVE. EVEN IF ALL YOUR RELATIVES ARE DEAD, YOU STILL HAVE YOUR VILLAGE CHIEF OR ASSEMBLYMAN OR WOMAN OR RELIGIOUS LEADER WHO KNOWS YOU. ANY OF THESE WITH THE GHANA CARD CAN VOUCH THAT THEY KNOW YOU, AND YOU'LL ALSO ACQUIRE YOURS, SIMPLICITA! WHO DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THIS PRIMARY SCHOOL ENGLISH??? THERE SHOULD BE NO COMPROMISE ON THIS TO ACCEPT VOTERS ID OR NHIA CARDS.
Azonto do not close your mind and join the NDC propaganda machinery. The NIA are saying birth certificate and passport are the main requirements but if you do not have just let a relative to identify you. How does that make it difficult to obtain the card.Even in passport acquisition there are two references on the form to testify your identity how much more a national card that will contain information than a passport.Let the opposition NDC joke with it. Ienvisage a situation in the 2020 election the form which the EC will give out to parliamentary and presidential candidates will demand national card serial number, there we see the folly of those who boycotted.
@AZONTO Hi Azonto My brother/sister Azonto, what you are saying is very true. many of us including myself who were born in the village didn't have neither birth cert nor passport. But I think it has been a while since the announcement was made and we can all take advantage of it to acquire one. The issue could be the money to acquire it. But then there is another requirement that says you can bring someone to testify that you are a Ghanaian so they register you. Yea, its not still easy, but if we really want our country to be like some of the beautiful countries then we should all help and this is one of the things we need to do. Thank you my brother/sister Azonto
YOU ARE ALL MAD AT THE NIA. HOW MANY GHANAIANS, ESPECIALLY NORTHERN GHANA HAVE BIRTH CERTS OR PASS PORTS?. EVEN YOU OFFICIALS WORKING WITH THE NIA, HOW MANY PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILIES HAVE THESE DOCUMENTS?. THEN, IT CEASES TO NATIONAL, BUT SECTIONAL IDENTIFICATION CARD.