Ghana Card registration forms shortage artificial - NIA

The National Identification Authority (NIA) has stated it has enough registration forms for all Ghanaians home and abroad to register for their new cards known as Ghana Card.

The Authority, therefore, contends that any claims of forms shortage could be a fabrication.

People have reportedly been turned away from some registration centres in the ongoing mass registration exercise with the excuse that the forms have run short.

But in a statement dated May 22, 2019, NIA urged the public to report all claims of forms shortage, emphasising such claims cannot be genuine.

“Claims of shortage of forms at a registration centre can only be artificial or pretextual, and constitutes misinformation of the public and unfair treatment of prospective applicants. Such conduct also brings the name of the NIA into disrepute.

“Accordingly, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against NIA officials found to be implicated in such conduct. Members of the public are respectfully urged to report any instance of extortion, bribery, corruption or other criminal or improper conduct to the Police;” the statement reads.

According to the NIA, they have over 30 million forms in stock which are delivered to every registration centre upon the request of Coordinating Registration Officer assigned to each centre.

The NIA also announced it will set up permanent Regional and District offices to continue registering Ghanaians after it had ended the mass.

It emphasized the continuous registration phase is also free of charge to all applicants who will be registering for the first time.

It also assured the general public that it will register and issue the Ghana Cards to all Ghanaians either during the mass registration exercise or during the continuous registration phase, and entreats every Ghanaian to cooperate.