It may be a week late, but officials of the National Identification Authority (NIA) have finally begun the registration and instant issuance of the Ghana Card at the Presidency.
Officials were at the Jubilee House to register staffers after the false start on Monday, May 28.
The Ghana Card registration again failed to launch last Monday despite the NIA’s assurances.
The three arms of government, former heads of state, journalists and security officials were to be the first to be issued cards before registration opened to the general public.
The NIA subsequently apologised to the Presidency and other institutions for its inability to issue the Ghana Card blaming it on “technical difficulties.”
According to the NIA, it was unable to start the registration and issuance of the card as announced due to “technical difficulties.”
In a statement, the NIA said it would outline the challenges it faced in due course.
Monday’s failure marked it the fifth time the NIA’s had missed an announced deadline.
Possible sabotage
After the failings, IMANI Africa President, Franklin Cudjoe said he suspected some foul play.
This is because of the credibility of the Identity Management System (IMS), the Danish company involved in the process.
“I do not have any proof, but I am tempted to believe that in this whole thing about starting and false starting, there may be some sabotage going on,” he said on The Big Issue.
Mr Cudjoe did not think the CEO of the NIA, Professor Ken Attafuah, would make definite pronouncements if he wasn’t sure the Authority was ready.
The registration project is to cost $293 million.
The NIA is expected to complete issuance of the national identification card to Ghanaians within a period of one year.
Within the period, the state is expected to commit $124 million for the project while the project partner will commit $169m.
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By: Sammi Wiafe/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
