The National Identification Authority has concluded the printing of the backlog of 541,529 Ghana Cards in its database. This is pursuant to a promise made to Members of Parliament in February 2023 when the Executive Secretary of the Authority, Professor Ken Attafuah was summoned before the house.
The Corporate Affairs Directorate confirmed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
“The National Identification Authority (NIA) has printed the backlog of 541.529 Ghana Cards in its database in ten (10) days pursuant to the promise it made to Members of Parliament on 28 February 2023 to print the said cards in 11 days upon receipt of a supply of blank cards.”
The printed cards, which are now being packaged will be distributed across Regional and District Offices of the NIA nationwide from Wednesday, 29 March 2023 to Sunday, 2nd April, 2023 for issuance to registered applicants.
The Electoral Commission of Ghana has promised in a new constitutional instrument (C.I) through which it seeks to make the Ghana Card as the source document or sole identification document for voter registration onto the voters register.
But the minority group in Parliament raised doubts on the capacity of the NIA to issue the national card to all applicants who have registered but yet to receive their cards.
The NIA in the statement reiterated its commitment to serving the public and the nation as whole with respect, dignity, integrity and efficiency as a dedicated and responsible public sector institution.
“With focus, rigour and coherence in project management and implementation, NIA achieved this feat with a dedicated team of Supervisor, Assistant Technical Support Officers and Assistant Technical Enrolment Officers drawn from its Headquarters, Regional and Districts Offices. The staff worked fervently for ten continuous days in two shift-day and night” the statement added.
The authority stated effective Wednesday, April 5, 2023, all Ghanaians who registered for their Ghana Cards since July 2022 can visit the District or Regional Offices where they registered for their printed cards to be issued to them.
It added the ultimate objective of this exercise was to print records of registered Ghanaians in backlog since July 2022.
