More Ghana Cards To Be Printed As Gov’t Pays GH¢100m Debt
Several Ghanaians are expected to receive their Ghana Cards in the coming days as the government has addressed a financial hurdle that halted the process.
Over 3.5 million cards became inaccessible due to a GH¢100m debt owed to an identity management system company.
The Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Professor Ken Attafuah, revealed that the challenge prevented the issuance of cards locked at a bonded warehouse.
However, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has disclosed arrangements to settle the debt.
“I think that the main question was about the GH¢100 million to be transferred to CalBank IMS, and as has been confirmed by the [Executive] Director for the NIA, we have indeed transferred the GH¢80 million and today with swift instructions the GH¢20 million has also been executed. That is the assurance we want to give that we will continue to work with the program we have agreed with CalBank,” the Finance Minister explained.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) has stated that the guarantor system and passports will not be used for future voter registration exercises.
Prof Attafuah, Mrs. Mensa, and Mr. Ofori-Atta were summoned to Parliament to answer questions during a briefing on the new CI on Tuesday, February 28.
Mrs. Mensa insisted that “the use of the Ghana Card as the sole means of identification will prevent foreigners and minors from getting onto our voters register”.
With the National Identification Authority (NIA) estimating that about 16.9 million Ghanaians aged 18 and above are captured on the Ghana Card system, Mrs. Mensa was emphatic that no Ghanaian will be disenfranchised.
Mrs. Mensa further explained that under the new electoral reforms, registration for a voter card would be conducted all year round.
However, the Minority in Parliament has opposed the move.
They believe the EC has not provided enough grounds for using only the Ghana Card for the voter roll.
Minority Leader in Parliament Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson added that the National Identity Register Regulations 2012 (LI 2111) make room for the guarantor system in acquiring a Ghana Card.
The guarantor system, he said, constituted about 40% of Ghana Card registrations.
“We hold the view that the time-tested guarantor system must be maintained in our voter registration process, and this position is absolutely non-negotiable,” the Minority Leader stressed.