National ID Cards: Corruption claims probe apt – Ursula Owusu

The Minister of Communications Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says she supports the CID’s investigation in the allegations of corruption levelled against her in the award of the contract for the production of National Identification Cards.

“I welcome the investigations by the CID and even though I am yet be contacted, I will cooperate with the law enforcement agencies to ascertain the truth,” she said Friday September 1, 2017 in a statement.

“A strong message needs to be sent out to those who deliberately disseminate disinformation. I look forward to a swift resolution of this matter,” she added.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central in a recent media outburst alleged that the Communications Minister acted wrongly in the award of the contract for the production of National Identification Cards.

The Communications Minister however, debunked the lawmaker’s claims as “patently false” and “outlandish.”

“The falsehoods are clearly born out of ignorance so it is important to clarify that the NIA is not an agency Ministry of Communications; that is why the directive was signed by the Chief of Staff in the office of the , President,” she added.

The National Identification Authority’s reporting line, she said is directly to the office of the president “in accordance with the law of the land.”

“Consequently, as the Minister of Communications, I did not and could not have awarded the contract for the NID, or indeed oversee the process. It would have been ultra vires,” she lucidly stated.