Mr. Francis Denteh, Brong-Ahafo Regional head of the National Identification Authority (NIA) has asked Ghanaians not to rush to obtain the national identification card.
He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani that as a central government data base for national data collection, the NIA had come to stay and Ghanaians had the ample opportunity to register for the cards at their own convenience.
Mr. Denteh emphasized that double registration was an offence, which could even attract jail sentence and warned prospective applicants against the practice because those who would be caught would not be spared.
Mr. Denteh explained that when an applicant registers his or her particulars twice, it would create problems in the processing of the ID cards and delay its issuance as well.
He said prospective applicants must know basic information about themselves including their hometown, date of birth, residential address and to also go along either with their voter’s ID card, passport, driving license, birth certificate and National Health Insurance card for the registration.
He explained that because of the lack of a reliable system of identification in Ghana, the NIA was introduced to, among others, promote collective data base for proper planning and easy identification of citizens and residents.
Mr. Denteh said the regional office of the NIA was currently undertaking a 10-week exercise and so had since May 3, deployed 1,200 registration officials to register applicants for the processing of the identification cards.
The regional NIA head said after that exercise, which was expected to end on May 28, the Authority would then open the mass registration exercise in Brong-Ahafo to cover those who would not be able to register.
Asked about when the identification cards would be ready, Mr. Denteh said the cards were being processed centrally and that the Authority would announce on local FM radio stations when they are ready for distribution.
He said holders of the card would enjoy a number of benefits and asked those who had not registered their particulars to do so especially during the mass registration exercise and obtain the cards for their own good.
Mr. Denteh reminded that only applicants between the ages of six and above were eligible to access the card and advised parents to ensure that their children who fall within the required age group are registered.
He explained that now that the NIA had opened its regional offices across the country, it intended to open offices at the district levels to bring the cards to the door-step of the people.
Mr. Denteh called on traditional rulers, assembly members, school authorities and religious bodies to help sensitize the people about the benefits of the national identification to a nation for more people to be covered in the registration exercise.