NIA to keep 100 registration centres in Volta for mop-up

Mr. Francis Palmdeti, Director of Public Affairs, Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has said the National Identification Authority (NIA) would keep some 100 registration centers in the Volta Region for mop-up after the official end of the registration exercise on August 14.

He said District Registration Officers would advise on areas to be served by the mop-up centers.

“We will like to assure the people that we would not shut down fully on the 14th even as we close registration centers in the region”, Mr. Palmdeti told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview.

He said “the NIA is here to stay”, and would set up offices, or “co-locate” with some agencies like the DVLA, NHIA, SSNIT, others to continue with registrations.

The PRO said the mass registration phase was a requirement by the law, to be followed by continuous registration.

“The Plan is to register all Ghanaians aged zero to infinity. The mass registration would capture persons 15 years and above. Children aged 14 and below would be captured next year”, he stated.

Mr. Palmdeti added that the “charge is free for all first-time applicants. No charge. Not even a pesewa.”

He also said it was equally free for those unable to register during the mass registration, and that it was only the replacement of lost cards that would attract some fee.

Mr. Palmdeti, therefore, called on the public to be patient, saying, “we will try and register as many as we can. It is not a do or die matter. There will be more opportunities for all to register.

“Everybody should try and register. But if you are unable, the mop-up would take care of that. Let’s all take advantage of the exercise”, he stated.

Mr. Kenneth Kponor, Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) also told GNA its officers had been on the ground with the needed education, stressing that the exercise was not a one-off event.



GNA observed night vigils at registration centers across the region.

A middle-aged woman reportedly moved her kitchen to a center in Ho to enable her feed her children while she awaited her turn to be registered.

Fimey Dzatugbi, a 54-year-old mother of four, on Tuesday collapsed in the queue at Ave Afiadenyingba Gborhohome, and was pronounced dead upon arrival at a health facility.

She is alleged to have spent the night at the center.

GNA also received reports of some persons slumping in the queues with a snakebite allegedly recorded at a center at night.