Minority demands forensic audit in $1.2bn Ghana Card contract

The Minority in Parliament is demanding a forensic audit into activities of the National Identification Authority as it accuses the NIA of bloating the 1.2 billion dollars contract sum for the Ghana card exercise.

Concluding the debate on President Nana Akufo-Addo’s State of the Nation Address, Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said the 1.2bn dollars budgeted for the exercise defies every similar international exercise.

“Mr. Speaker, it is reported that the national ID card will cost the state 1.2 billion US dollars. Where is the NIA getting its finances from? That would mean that a country of this population is using 42 dollars per person to do its ID card, India with its population didn’t do an ID card even for 20 dollars.

“We are calling for a forensic audit into the financing of the NIA and how a colossal amount of 1.2 billion will be dedicated to the national Identification exercise.”

The Tamale South MP also kicked against government’s decision to seek support from GAT to recapitalize the ADB and the NIB. He argued the state must find money on its own for the banks.

In a reaction majority leader Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu said it does not lie in the mouth of the Minority to demand forensic audits.

He accused the minority leader of causing fear and panic in the financial sector with his take on NIB and ADB issue.