Parliament last week approved amendments to the legislation governing the activities of the NIA and the contract for the issuance of the ID Card project, paving way for the nationwide registration process to begin.

At a brief ceremony in Accra on Tuesday March 27th, 2018, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, handed over 57 Nissan Hardbody pickups, 5 Toyota Hiace Vans, 60 motorbikes and two generator sets to the Executive Secretary of the NIA, Prof Kenneth Attafuah, to be used for the registration and issuance project, set to begin in about a month.

The handover of the vehicles is a further demonstration of Government’s determination to put in the necessary building blocks for the formalization of the Ghanaian economy, and achieve President Akufo-Addo’s aim of a Ghana beyond Aid, Vice President Bawumia indicated.

“This is the first instalment on the sort of logistics that are going to be necessary to undertake this project and by the grace of God I hope in another month’s time we will see the beginning of the mass issuance of the ID cards.

“The registration and issuance of the national ID card is a critical piece of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s vision to build a modern prosperous economy. It is also important that as we put together this ID card, we capture the address of everybody to have a national database.

“Thanks to the government through the Ministry of Finance, resources have been made available and we are able to present today 62 vehicles to the NIA as a way of starting this process. There are also 60 motorbikes and two very powerful generators so that they can never be out of power under any circumstances.

“Once Ghana has a unique database where everybody is registered and everybody has a unique number the benefits for all of us will be very apparent. Banks can easily verify your identity when you open a bank account; same with SSNIT. Getting a passport will become one of the most easy things that will be available to us. Acquiring a driver’s licence will be much easier.”

Dr Bawumia pledged further government support to ensure the successful completion of the project, given its immense benefit to the nation.

“We will benefit tremendously as a country from this national ID system and I dare say it is probably going to be one of the most if not the most important reforms that we are going to be seeing in this country.”

In a speech read on his behalf, Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, Minister of State in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation, who has direct oversight over the NIA, indicated that registration will take place region after region, with Greater Accra beginning the process in about a month’s time.

Registrants will need either their birth certificate, a passport, naturalisation certificate or be vouched for by two persons who have already been registered. They will also have to provide their Ghanapostgps address.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The project, which started under the Mahama government, was re-launched by President Akufo-Addo in September 2018, and was supposed to begin fresh registrations.

President Akufo-Addo received the first Ghana card.

[contextly_sidebar id=”d5LwiLnX9YQ9tDvd124WD88nzRS1FOQ1″]NIA had targeted to complete the first phase of the registration exercise by October 15, 2017; but it seems this cannot be achieved following the delay in amending portions of the bill backing the project.

The National Identity Register (Amendment) Bill, 2017, was passed by parliament last week under a ‘certificate of urgency.’

Following the passage of the Amendment to the National Identity Register, the Legislative Instrument (L.I.) is expected to be laid in Parliament in the course of next week, to allow for 21 sitting days for the LI to mature to effectively bring the new law into existence.

Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority, Prof Ken Attafuah, in a Citi News interview, said they might begin the entire process by mid-January 2018.

“Parliament is a master of its own procedures –it can sit on Saturday or Sunday. Parliament is determined, you could tell from the tenure of the debate in the House that Parliament is unanimous and united in its understanding and expectation that this National Identification system project is critical for the development of this country, and that the amendments ought to pass. It is however a matter of procedure that A must happen before B.”

“Once that happens, I have every reasonable basis to expect that Parliament in its wisdom may find it necessary to meet on such days as to ensure that this amendment that we are seeking to the form is passed in time to enable us roll out before the end of this year. If that does not happen, worst case scenario, early January or mid-January 2018, we will roll out. But this is the only thing we are waiting for – the amendment to the form,” he added.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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Briefing the management of Ghana Education Service (GES) in Accra recently, Prof. Attafuah said the national identification exercise, which started in 2008, but was halted in 2014, will roll out fully and ensure that both Ghanaians and foreigners in the country are digitally registered.

He said “the Authority has thoroughly reviewed the challenges that it encountered in the past and it has put appropriate measures in place, including having to upgrade the 2D barcode card to a smartcard with dual interface, collecting data and issuing the card to persons from age 0 as the existing 2D barcode cards are issued to those from ages 0 to 14.”

“The system is designed to facilitate data sharing among user agencies and the smartcard has tactile impression features,” he added.

Mr. Anthony Boateng, acting Deputy Director-General of GES, who chaired the meeting on behalf of the Director-General, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, lauded the government and the Authority for the initiative and hard work, and pledged the support of the GES in the exercise.

“There is a need for intensive public education on the exercise, considering the fact that it is starting from this month.

“The management of GES will disseminate the information to the various regions, districts and schools as soon as possible, and we are prepared to support you to undertake this laudable exercise,” he added.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, Executive Secretary of NIA, Prof. Ken Agyeman Attafuah, said his team will liaise with Ghana’s missions abroad to ensure that Ghanaians in other countries are registered and issued with instant ID cards.

[contextly_sidebar id=”wrtplCbSwornxG1d84rFTfsANZVIJTW8″]“We are expecting to conclude all these in October 2018. In course of this work, when we are about six months into it, we will talk with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to begin the registration of Ghanaians abroad as required by law. So we will work through the Ghana High Commission abroad and establish modalities for registering Ghanaians across the world,” he added.

Prof. Attafuah explained that, his outfit will register personnel of the various security services as well as former presidents and the judiciary within the first phase of the project, which is expected to be completed before November 15.

Former presidents to be registered soon

“Before the 15^th of November [2017], we expect to register the entire security sector and service commanders in the Greater Accra Region. By that I mean Ghana Armed Forces, Prisons, Police, their veterans and all of those. Then we will also register the judicial service, we will register the three former presidents and their households and offices. We will register the flagstaff House, the seat of government,” he added.

Prof. Attafuah said the phase two of the project which will continue after November 15, will be extended to schools, the banking sector and Ghanaian residents within the Greater Accra Region.

He added that his team will later continue the registrations in the Central Region and proceed to the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Eastern, Volta, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions respectively.

He said NIA is hoping to complete the registrations by October 2018.

Akufo-Addo launches rebranded NIA

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had earlier been issued with the card to commence the registration of Ghanaians onto the rebranded NIA system.

The National ID scheme is expected to formalize the economy through the establishment of a national database linking the Passport Office, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Ghana Revenue Authority among others.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The Executive Secretary of NIA, Prof. Ken Agyeman Attafuah, who made the revelation on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, said the cards will be issued to them instantly after their details are captured onto the NIA system.

[contextly_sidebar id=”E84gaYibcNP9swRyxsUYJB0hZeL8OSUQ”]Mr. Attafuah noted that the security agencies as well as the judicial service and staff of the Flagstaff House, will all be registered within the first phase of the project which will end on or before November 15, 2017.

“Before the 15^th of November, we expect to register the entire security sector and service commanders in the Greater Accra Region. By that I mean Ghana Armed Forces, Prisons, Police, their veterans and all of those in hat category. Then we will also register the judicial service, we will register the three former presidents and their households and offices. We will register the flagstaff House, the seat of government,” he added.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was the first to have been issued with the card to commence the registration of Ghanaians onto the rebranded NIA system.

The National ID scheme is expected to formalize the economy through the establishment of a national database linking the Passport Office, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Ghana Revenue Authority among others.

October 2018 deadline

Prof. Attafuah said the phase two of the project which will continue after November 15, will be extended to schools, the banking sector and Ghanaian residents within the Greater Accra Region, where every Ghanaian will be issued an instant ID card.

He added that his team will later continue the registration in the Central Region, and proceed to the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti, Eastern, Volta, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions respectively.

He said NIA is hoping to complete the registrations by October 2018.

Ghanaians abroad to be registered

The NIA Executive Secretary also disclosed that Ghanaians living abroad will not be left out.

“We are expecting to conclude all these in October 2018. In the course of this work, when we are about six months into it, we will talk with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to begin the registration of Ghanaians abroad as required by law. So we will work through the Ghana Commissions abroad and establish modalities for registering Ghanaians across the world,” he added.

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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post Mahama, Rawlings, Kufuor to receive Ghana cards soon – NIA appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Speaking at the test registration today [Friday] to officially outdoor the ID card, the President said :”The NPP government under my leadership has not only prioritized the NIA, but also demonstrated commitment to making the NIA work again. Today’s ceremony also constitutes a practical demonstration of the fulfillment of yet another promise of my party, the New Patriotic Party, during the 2016 campaign, that we will mobilize and formalize the Ghanaian economy through the establishment of a credible national data base and using the National Identification System (NIS) as the primary identifier as prescribed by the law.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”uK1SDDHaltuQ18CIxYRefL07picBfYFs”]The registration process started under the erstwhile Kufour administration, but stalled under successive governments.

But speaking at the test registration today [Friday] at the NIA, President Akufo-Addo blamed the circulation of too many IDs in the system on the failure of previous governments to complete the process.

He however expressed optimism in the ability of the card to improve the quality of life of Ghanaians.

Between July 2008 and May 2010, the National Identification Authority began mass registration of Ghanaians for the unique ID cards.

A total of 11 million people in six regions were registered in the process. Amidst various challenges, collection of the cards started later in 2011.

Few years after, some state institutions and banks rejected it as an unrecognized state identification card.

Meanwhile the President has sworn in eight members of the governing board of the National Identification Authority, charging them to work with utmost integrity and professionalism.

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By: Marian Ansah & Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Another NPP promise fulfilled with new Ghana card – Nana Addo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

[contextly_sidebar id=”jSjNEku8EKhfARRadkfZLV1Jgv9Gxm9Z”]The President also swore in eight members of the governing board of the NIA at its headquarters, charging them to work with utmost integrity and professionalism.

At a brief ceremony before registering for his own new national ID card, President Akufo-Addo said the role of the NIA was crucial in the management and development of Ghana.

“The NPP government under my leadership has not only prioritized the NIA but also demonstrated a commitment to making the NIA work again… Today’s ceremony also constitutes a practical demonstration of the fulfillment of yet another promise of my party during the 2016 campaign, that we will mobilize and formalize the Ghanaian economy through the establishment of a credible national data base, and use the National Identification System (NIS) as the primary identifier as prescribed by the law,” the president said.

The National ID scheme is expected to formalize the economy through the establishment of a national database linking the Passport Office, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Ghana Revenue Authority among others.

The NIA was set up in 2003 under the Office of the President with the mandate to issue national ID cards and manage the National Identification System.

This resulted in the passing of the National Identification Authority Act, 2006 (Act 707). The National Identity Register Act, 2008 (Act 750) was also passed to give authorization for the collection of personal and biometric data and to ensure the protection of privacy and personal information of citizens.

Between July 2008 and May 2010, the NIA began mass registration of Ghanaians for the unique ID cards. A total of 11 million people in six regions were registered in the process.

Amidst various challenges, the collection of the cards started later in 2011 though some state institutions and banks rejected it as an unrecognized state identification card.

Many have called for the reproduction of new ID cards to be linked to a central database base and be used as the official state ID of any Ghanaian.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Nana Addo receives first ID card as NIA registration kicks off appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He will be at the National Identification Authority’s office this morning [Friday], to go through the process as the country kicks off the renewed National Identification System (NIS) promised by his government.

The National ID scheme is expected to formalize the economy through the establishment of a national database linking the Passport Office, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), Ghana Revenue Authority among others.

The Acting Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority, Prof. Ken Attafuah, told the media that the second coming of the National Identification System is bound to succeed.

“This is a PPP arrangement and there is a revenue model underpinning it, and it will ensure that because to date, government is yet to invest in the National Identification System project, we cannot afford to fail. This is the second coming and it is going to be the last and everlasting,” he said.

Between July 2008 and May 2010, the National Identification Authority began mass registration of Ghanaians for the unique ID cards. A total of 11 million people in six regions were registered in the process.

Amidst various challenges, collection of the cards started later in 2011.

Few years after, some state institutions and banks rejected it as an unrecognized state identification card.

Many have called for the reproduction of new ID cards to be linked to a central database base and be used as the official state ID of any Ghanaian.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Akufo-Addo to receive ‘renewed National ID’ today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A statement signed by the acting Head of Corporate Affairs of the Authority, Pearl Akonobea Offei, stressed that the NIA is not recruiting, and has not contracted any person or entity to recruit on their behalf.

The denial follows news circulating on social media that the authority is recruiting and has contracted the Electoral Commission to recruit on their behalf.

According to the Authority, such claims were false, and were being perpetrated by persons who seek to defraud unsuspecting Ghanaians especially the youth.

It further noted that, the NIA will publicly advertise available job opportunities at its outfit for qualified persons to apply.

Police cautions against social media fraudsters

The Ghana Police Service in a recent statement urged the public to be vigilant against fraudsters especially on social media.

According to the service, the fraudsters target entrepreneurs, contractors and individuals seeking employment and contracts in government agencies.

“They use some faceless individuals as their personal assistants, who are made to place phone calls to their victims demanding various sums of money through mobile money to facilitate their engagement with the so-called ministers or big men. After payment is made, their phone lines and social media accounts are deactivated,” the statement said.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The appointment is among the few undertaken by the president this week to change the leadership of most government institutions following his assumption of office.

Professor Ken Attafuah, a former deputy chair of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and currently the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Central University.

His appointment comes at a time when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government has reinforced its commitment to carryout out a national identification project having held a broad consultative meeting on the project earlier this week, chaired by Vice President, Dr Mahamamudu Bawumia.

The NPP in the run up to this year’s elections stated that it would embark on a National Identification project to register all Ghanaians to get accurate data on citizens.

The commitment has received a lot of endorsement by citizens and was recently lauded by the founder of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom believes the government must be supported to successfully complete it.

Professor Atta Ken Agyeman Attafuah will become the substantive head of the NIA after a newly constituted NIA governing council approves his appointment in consultation with the Public Services Commission.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ken Attafuah appointed as Ag. NIA boss appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.