NIA to embark on Ghana Card registration for individuals in detention
The National Identification Authority (NIA), is set to embark on mass registration of Ghana cards for individuals in detention across the country.
The move was to ensure that such individuals were captured onto the State’s Database System, due to their restriction due to one or two reasons.
Mr Enoch Ben Sackey, Western Regional Chief Servant of the NIA in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Takoradi, said there was a need for every Ghanaian to get unto the national Database System, therefore, the need for management to embark on the activity to register individuals conned in various places in the country.
He expressed satisfaction with the process the Authority made last year with regards to the registering of individuals from 15 years to infinity, new registration of individuals from six years, issuing of cards for individuals who were unable to get their cards during the mass registration, replacement of cards among other activities the Authority undertook.
He indicated that amidst the challenges with network fluctuation, technical issues, financial constraints and staff strength, the management of the Authority was able to put in place measures to curtail such problems, making the year under review a successful one, despite the economic crisis.
Mr Sackey hinted that provisions were also in place for the registration of people in the diaspora to ensure that every Ghanaian both home and abroad got unto the Database.
He noted that all services rendered at the Authority were in accordance with the law and approved by Parliament, therefore certain services are being rendered at a fee approved by Parliament.
Mr Sackey added that fees charged differed at the district offices and premium centres based on the service one chose or desired, emphasizing that first-time registrants were being attended to at no fee at the district office per what the law states.
“The Authority offers services of choice, for instance to replace a card at the district oces, has been subsidized to an approved fee of 125 cedis, whereas at the premium centers 420 cedis was charged for the same service, while to update one’s details goes for 60 cedis at district oces and 335 cedis at premium centers, since there was no subsidy at the premium centers”, he added.
The Regional Chief Servant explained that if a first registrant should register at a premium centre it would be at a fee of 310 cedis compared to being free at the district centres.
He said the aim of the NIA was to establish a single source of authentic information for the State, noting that one person could have different records at various institutions, but the Ghana card, gives the State institutions access to single authentic details of people.
He, therefore, encouraged all to be captured unto the national database as the Ghana card has become the sole foundation of every activity in the country.