The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has indicated that neither he nor his government has any interest in preventing genuine citizens from being issued with identity cards, in the ongoing National Identification Authority (NIA) registration process.
According to President Akufo-Addo, it should not be in anybody’s interest that the identity of the Ghanaian is bastardized, adding that “it should not be in the long-term interest of anybody that we enlist as Ghanaians people whose loyalty to our nation is limited to access to our free healthcare system.”
The President noted that his oath of office enshrines that he upholds the law and protects the institutions from being undermined.
“I do not think that there are more credible, basic, documentary requirements for establishing nationality or citizenship than a birth certificate or a passport. An appropriate, acceptable mechanism has been provided in the law to verify the claims of those who have neither,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Saturday, 23rd June, 2018, when he delivered the commencement speech at the 2018 graduation ceremony of the Ashesi University.
Expressing his hope that the registration exercise to provide all citizens with a national identity card would have received the enthusiastic support of all Ghanaians, after years of wilful stagnation and neglect, the President noted that the project has become embroiled, once again, in another of those full-scale manufactured storms deliberately engineered to slow down progress in Government tries to do.
With many arguing that the possession of a voter’s ID card should qualify one to be issued a national identity card, even though that view was never canvassed during the parliamentary consideration of this matter, the President posited that it is a well-known fact that many non-Ghanaians are in possession of voter’s cards that they obtained by offering NHIS cards as proof of identity.
This is why, the President stated that, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling that the NHIS card should not be used as a form of identification to register for a voter’s ID card.
Hypocritical Minority
Recounting the contributions made by some members of the Minority in Parliament, when the National Identity Register (Amendment) Bill came before them in the House, the President was
The Ranking Member on the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Select Committee in Parliament, Hon. Inusah Fuseini, MP for Tamale Central, is quoted as having stated that “There is no controversy in the amendments. It seeks to expand the field of information that would be required, and bring the information up to date with modern trends.”
He was supported in this by the NDC MP for Banda, Hon. Ahmed Ibrahim, who said: “Mr. Speaker, from the day of the birth of Jesus Christ, registration and census were done. Therefore, it is very pathetic that, as a country, we do not know who a Ghanaian is… Mr. Speaker, if there is something as a country that Ghanaians should come together and support, I believe this Bill is one of them.”
The NDC MP for Ellembelle, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, the former Minister for Petroleum under the Mahama government, in his contribution, further stated “The amendment Bill is long overdue, and very critical for our country. The issue of who a Ghanaian is, is very critical in this country, especially because of the issues we face.”
According to President Akufo-Addo, “these are samples of the sentiments that allowed the House to accept, unanimously, i.e. without dissent, the Report of the Committee”, which stated, amongst others: “The Committee also noted that the Bill seeks to do away with the use of voters’ identity cards, drivers’ license and baptismal certificates as proof of citizenship. It, however maintains the use of birth certificates and passports. It further introduces residence permits and other documents evidencing acquired citizenship. Officials of the NIA informed the Committee that the changes are consistent with the decision of the Supreme Court in Abu Ramadan v Attorney-General delivered in May, 2016.”
The language of de-nationalisation made by former President Mahama, or threats of civil war made by NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the President stressed are extremely unfortunate, and can be fittingly described as base forms of self-serving demagoguery.
“I am confident that the good sense of the Ghanaian people, and the vigilance of the law enforcement agencies will, together, be sufficient to defeat any ill-conceived, destructive adventure for achieving narrow, parochial, partisan ends. The lust for power should not cloud one’s sense of judgement. To call yourself a Ghanaian means you must be a responsible citizen,” the President added.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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You should have kept your id`iocy to your self without exhibiting it here. If you are afraid of being identified as NDC member, who cares. In Amerika, once a person is borne, a birth certificate is issued. That makes the baby an instant citizen. Amerikan, passport can then be procured using the birth certificate, not voter ID,THERE IS EVEN NO VOTER ID CARD IN AMERIKA. You want us to use the ECOWAS voter ID for your parochial interest, you lie bad!!! Instead get a relative or 2 Ghanaians to vounch for your citizenship. Simple.
GIVE IT TO THEM, MR PRESIDENT. THEY ARE TOO FOOOOLISHHH TO BE MPS
You don’t have to be worried at all. You, or any two neighbors who have known your mother can easily testify for her.
Indeed , here in the US, acquiring Citizenship does not depend on one’s Voter ID card or driver’s license. it is solely by Citizenship through birth and naturalization. Therefore the primary required documents are the birth certificates and the naturalization certificates. To acquire a driver’s license, one do not necessarily be a citizen. A permanent resident; such as a Green Card Holder, or other special qualified immigration status can get you driving license, upon the issuance of the State ID. Now to vote in any elections one has to be a Citizen. Naturally Ghanaians should have acquired the Citizenship cards status before the voting eligibility. We could not do the former because of the political nature bequeathed to us by the colonization, incessant coup d’tats and lack of political will. The fact that Ghanaians had the voter ID cards before this registration for the Citizenship ID cards, does not mean the voter ID cards should become the primary documents for citizenship requirement. Right thing need to be done at all times: that is the hallmark of the NPP, the party whose ideals of “Development in Freedom”, I cherish most.
If you put stumbling blocks before them, you will need them to vote for you at the end of the day, anyway. Edawoanim
Some Ghanaian old men and women in the country today don't have birth certificates. For instance my mother who is very old and lives in Accra does not have birth certificate. Please Nana don't ignore the elderly people in the society who were not fortunate to acquire birth certificates during the 18th Century.
Don't tag me as an NDC. If were to speak for your NPP you will be happy. I just stated the obvious and if you think am wrong you elaborate the reasons the election results should be accepted when its alleged non-Ghanaians participated in the electoral process using voter ID but the same cannot be accepted in this case. So do you agree that non-Ghanaians should elect our leaders for us? Or because your party won the results should be accepted. What we are doing is duplication of ID's. A country like USA once you have your drivers license, you don't need any other ID to vote. But in our case we will have Ghana card, drivers license, NHIA card etc. What is wrong with us as a nation?
@Frank, you are an apologetic of an educated Ghanaian. Where in the world, a voter ID card is the determinant of ones citizenship? If you are a genuine Ghanaian with good intentions to see Ghana develop then don’t follow the self-seeking political party like the NDC.
"I do not think that there are more credible, basic, documentary requirements for establishing nationality or citizenship than a birth certificate or a passport". Mr. President per this statement, does it mean that we have to annul the 2016 elections since possession voter ID does not validate a Ghanaian citizenship. Since voter ID is not a credible documentary for establishing a Ghanaian citizenship and the same document has been used to elect you into office, then one can conclude that the elections were not credible since citizens of other countries participated in the election. Will you be willing that the results be annulled and the elections re-run upon compilation of new voter register where nationality of eligible voter will be established using the documents as in the case of Ghana card. You benefited from a document that you describe today as not credible for establishing ones nationality, then the votes you won in 2016 elections that put you in that office are invalid as well since we are not sure of the nationality of those who voted in the 2016 elections. We must be very careful the way we go about this Ghana card issues.
it is only a ***barred word*** who will support ndc to kick aginast ghana card.