Executive secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof Ken Attafuah, has rescinded the Authority’s decision to register public sector workers on government payroll in its first phase of the registration due to low turnout.

According to him, public sector workers yet to register can participate in the Phase II of registration of Ghana Cards for new applicants today, September 4, 2023. He revealed that although the Phase 1 was initially meant for ten days, there was the need to truncate the process.

Prof Attafuah explained that the continuation of the exercise will be a waste of resources, especially in giving back the opportunity to public sector workers on government of Ghana payroll to register. Nonetheless, Prof Attafuah indicated that there’s no barrier to their ability to get registered along with the general public.

“They have been given the opportunity – the opportunity will remain open as ordinary members of the Ghanaian public, not as a specialized category of people who were being targeted as we did last week. So, the opening is available to all Ghanaians aged 15 and above, and those public sector workers on government of Ghana payroll who have not yet registered and who were unable to take advantage of the opportunity last week, may still do so from today…”
Prof Ken Attafuah

Prof Attafuah stated that the figures which warranted the Phase 1 was provided by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, estimating 250,000 to 260,000 Public Sector Workers, without the cards. However, he noted that only 87 of the targeted beneficiaries presented themselves for the registration which was planned to have lasted between 28th August to 8th September 2023.

“So, having given them the information, opportunity and having opened our doors to them and made our resources and services available, and assessing the performance for the first five days, it was our determination that no useful purpose will be served by keeping the office opened exclusively to this category of targeted beneficiaries, and that prudent, efficient and effective application of resources, time and facilities ought to be our watchword. Therefore, we should open up the service for all Ghanaians who are qualified – that is Ghanaians aged 15 and above who are first-time applicants to access our service.”
Prof Ken Attafuah

NIA commences Phase II of registration today

Following the truncation, Prof Attafuah explained that the NIA has not been able to ascertain what could have occasioned the low turnout, insisting that it isn’t something within the Authority’s remit. He emphasized that the NIA does not have the resources, interest or ability to deduce their reasons for not showing up to register.

“The reason is that these are persons who if indeed, they exist as public sector workers on government of Ghana payroll, our communication would have reached them through the Controller and Accountant General department and also through the widespread publicity that NIA gave to this initiative.
“So, those persons would have been adequately informed of the location, where they could register – which is every single one of the 276 NIA district offices…”
Prof Ken Attafuah

Meanwhile, Phase II of the registration exercise begins today, 4th September 2023. This is to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the use of public resources, and to ensure that other members of the public are able to access NIA’s services.

All Ghanaians aged 15 years and above are eligible to register for the Ghana Card free of cost as first-time applicants at any of the NIA’s 276 District Offices across the country. The free registration service is also available at NIA Regional Offices in Accra, Bolgatanga, Cape Coast, Dambai, Damongo, Goaso, Nalerigu and Wa.