You will recall that, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on 16th September 2017 has officially launched the Ghana Card for Ghanaians, which according to him was a new day in the biometric identity management in the country and the virtue of the public-private partnership arrangement in meeting development needs of Ghana.
The registration exercise which commenced in 2019 across the country has posed many challenges to applicants and the NIA regarding printing and issuance of printed Ghana cards to applicants. A lot of applicants across Ghana have complained bitterly for not having access to their Ghana card meanwhile, the Electoral Commission has named the card as an eligibility requirement for the registration and acquiring a new voter ID card ahead of the December 7 general elections.
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In the latest development, the National Identification Authority has announced a date for issuance of printed Ghana cards to applicants across the length and breadth of Ghana.
In a press statement issued by NIA signed by ACI Francis Palmdeti, the Head of Corporate Affairs on Friday, 5th June, 2020 indicated that, the distribution of printed Ghana cards will commence on Monday, 8th June to Tuesday, 16th June, 2020.
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The NIA also added that, they will start a nationwide Mop-Up registration exercise from 18th June 2020 to mid-September 2020.
According to them, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) will be provided to all field workers and deployment of heavy security to help enforce the protocols outlined in the fight against the coronavirus.
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Read below the full statement issued by NIA.
ISSUANCE OF PRINTED GHANA CARDS TO APPLICANTS IN ALL 16 REGIONS
The National Identification Authority (NIA) will issue 3,875,441 printed cards to Ghana Card applicants in 5,635 registration centres in all 16 Regions of Ghana concurrently from Monday 8th to Tuesday 16th June 2020.
This nationwide card issuance blitz will enable 11,062,850 Ghanaians to possess Ghana Cards in good time to be used for vouching for their relatives or other Ghanaians who wish to register during the nationwide Mop-Up registration exercise commencing on 18th June 2020 and ending in mid-September 2020.
It will also enable persons in possession of the Ghana Card to use it for other mandatory purposes stated in the National Identity Register Regulation, 2012 (LI 2111), including registering as a voter and vouching for others as Ghanaians.
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The NIA will provide adequate PPE’s for all NIA field officials for use during the exercise. All Registration Centres will be equipped with the requisite resources to ensure the effective observance of all prescribed health and safety protocols.
In addition, security personnel will be deployed at each Registration Centre to ensure that crowd control measures such as physical distancing and appointment system are strictly observed.
Applicants attending at NIA card collection centres MUST wear a mask and wash their hands before they begin the card collection process.
SGND: ACI FRANCIS PALMDETI
HEAD, CORPORATE AFFAIRS, NIA
