Officers schooled on National Identification System

Accra, June 9, GNA 96 Information Officers have been schooled on the National Identification System (NIS) at a day's sensitization workshop organised in Accra on Friday aimed at enhancing their capacity to address pertinent issues on the System.

The workshop among other things discussed issues such as status of women and children, NIS and benefits to women and children, registration, information, data processing and card issuance. It was attended by 133 Information Officers and Cinema Commentators recruited from across the country under the sponsorship of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation.

The Sector Minister, Mr Kwamena Bartels in a speech read on his behalf, said the introduction of the NIS would complement and facilitate efforts of the existing institutions in the collection of accurate personal information for the creation of an effective data base. He said it would also be useful for the planning of both micro and macro economies for the development of the country.

Mr Bartels said the holder of a National Identification Card (NIC) would go about his/her duties as a Ghanaian without looking over his/her shoulders to see whether people believed in his Ghanaian nationality.

He noted that the NIS law took into consideration all the shortcomings of the previous scheme saying the exercise did not work at that time because some people played politics with it, twisted the facts and played on the ignorance of some people.

Mr Bartels, therefore, charged the Information Officers to explain the system to the people.

Professor Ernest Dumor, Executive Secretary of National Identification Authority, said the reintroduction of the System was aimed at providing reliable data for planning of development projects by the Government and other development partners.

He said the system would check fraudulent activities by businessmen and individuals adding, the National Identification Card with its registration number would help to trace every transaction of an individual and enable the State to track them down by their activities.

Prof Dumor noted that the System was also targeted at the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in order to resource them to engage in small-scale businesses to improve their living conditions and enhance good governance.

He said when the NIS commenced in 2007 after negotiations by the Government it would check multiply registration of citizens and aliens alike.