We’re prepared to issue Ghana cards for voter registration exercise – NIA Boss

The National Identification Authority (NIA), has backed plans by the Electoral Commission (EC) to rely on the Ghana Card as the sole document for the registration of voters for the 2024 general elections.

The Minority in Parliament which is against this move says some Ghanaians may be disenfranchised if that happens.

Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority, Professor Ken Attafuah, said NIA is poised to issue eligible Ghanaians their Ghana card before 2024.

“We are left with approximately, two million people yet to register and if those people desire to register, there is no reason they cannot be registered within six months. We are talking about 2024 and even the day, the Electoral Commission will say they are closing registration.”

“I want to assure this nation that, if Parliament grants the EC’s wish and gives it the go-ahead to use the Ghana card, the NIA is poised to give out the backlog of cards and register and issue cards to those who do not have.”

The electoral management body earlier this year revealed it will compile a voters’ register using only the Ghana Card.

The decision was met with stiff opposition from the Minority and some civil society organisations who stated that using the Ghana Card will disenfranchise many Ghanaians.

The EC insists that the Ghana Card is the most authentic means of identifying Ghanaians, and therefore the Commission’s decision to use it in compiling a new database of voters.

“There is no reasoned basis for this not to happen. NIA has registered 17. 3 million of the projected 19 million people aged 15 years and above so those who are going to fall in the category of people eligible to register and vote at age 18 – a lot of them have been captured”, Prof. Attafuah added.