V/R: NIA denies some communities in North Tongu access to Ghana Card
The National Identification Authority has reportedly denied some communities in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region access to the Ghana Card during its registration.
Information gathered by Coverghana.com.gh show that, the National Identification Authority during the Ghana Card registration in the Volta Region has deliberately crafted out some communities in the District. This makes some residents unable to undergo the registration processes to acquire the ECOWAS Card.
One of the communities that was denied access during the registration was Mafi-Dedukope. A community near Aveyime-Battor in the Battor Traditional Area of the North Tongu District.
READ ALSO:Â VIDEO: NIA outlines guidelines for collection of Ghana CardÂ
Residents of Mafi-Dedukope and others are of the view that, the NIA indirectly delated them from the map of Ghana since the Parliament of Ghana has approved the CI 126 to allow only Ghana Card and passport as eligibility requirements for compiling the new voter’s register towards the upcoming general elections.
A concerned youth of the community Reverend Richard Mawuli Ahortor who narrated the incident to Coverghana.com.gh said “this is a community surrounded by four districts but located in the North Tongu. During the NIA card registration, there was a reported misconduct by some youths in a form of a fight which I don’t have the full details.”
According to him, some natives of Mafi-Dedukope who leave in Tema, Ashiama and Accra in the Greater Accra Region also come down for the registration. What he was told after the incident was that, the NIA officials were collecting an amount of Gh¢20 from some applicants to register them meanwhile some people woke up at dawn and formed a long queue at the registration centre but the NIA officials ignored them to attend to people from Tema, Accra and Ashiama. This according to him has generated a fight among the people.
CHECK THIS OUT: Commencement of printed Ghana card issuance exercise postponed – NIA
Adding to that, he said, ” l was told one of the residents slapped one of the NIA officials in the course of the fight but eye witnesses were unable to tell what triggered the action ” He narrated.
According to him, “the NIA packed their tools and exited the community on the third day. We were expecting that they return to finish what they started but couldn’t come back.” He added.
“I was surprised the distribution of the cards has started while nothing has been done about our plight. If this happens, the electoral area shall not take part in the 2020 elections if a new register is to be compiled and insist on the to use Ghana card and the passport.” He explained with lamentation.
Our checks also revealed that, the police were called to the scene to effect an arrest before the North Tongu District Chief Executive Hon. Richard Collins Arku quickly intervened.
IN OTHER NEWS: Issuing Ghana cards without biometric verification problematic – Mathias TulasiÂ
The residents of the community are thereby calling on the government to quickly address their issues as early as possible. This is because the community is about to lose her legitimate right as mass number of the communist have not been captured by the National Identification Authority during the registration.
Meanwhile, the Member of the Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has noted that, he has decided not to participate in the National Identification Authority’s registration exercise to acquire the Ghana Card. According to him, the NIA failed to register about 70% of his constituents during the limited registration exercise in his constituency.
In a statement issued by the law makers, he reassured the people of his constituency that as a matter of conscience and principle, he has long refused to register for the ECOWAS Card until the last constituent registers and is given a card.
“I certainly cannot bring myself to get registered when more than 70% of the chiefs and people of North Tongu have not been captured. We all witnessed the deployment of scanty and faulty equipment during the registration. Let’s remain united in our demand for fairness and justice. We shall prevail!” He said.
Distribution of Ghana Card.Â
You will also recall that, the National Identification Authority (NIA) has commenced issuance of printed Ghana Card to applicants across its registration centres in Ghana on Wednesday, 10th June, 2020. The information available to Coverghana.com.gh indicates that though the NIA began the distribution exercise, some registration centres in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region are yet to receive NIA officials to distribute their cards.
Coverghana.com.gh gathered that, some of the communists go to the distribution centers only to return disappointed because some of the cards are yet to arrive.
Meanwhile, handful of others too got access to theirs. It is a two way thing. The assurance given to us indicates that the remaining cards will come before close of distribution.
