Prof. Kenneth Attafuah
Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof. Kenneth Attafuah, has indicated the authority’s readiness to issue the Ghana cards to aid in the registration exercise of the Electoral Commission.
Prof. Attafuah told Parliament on Tuesday that the NIA has the technical and operational capability to print and issue the ECOWAS Identification Card Registration (Ghana Card).
“We are ready to deliver on our mandate. The NIA is poised, ready and able to provide and deliver on its mandate, subject to the provision of the much-needed financial support that is warranted,” he noted.
According to him, the total number of Ghanaians aged 15 and above who have been registered is 17,375,861, with 642,403 cards printed but not collected and 541,529 cards yet to be printed.
Prof. Attafuah said the NIA has a printing capacity per printer (per day) of 100 whereas the number of cards printable per day is 50,000.
Later, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta revealed that a GH¢100 million facility had been agreed upon with CalBank to ensure the release of the over 3 million Ghana Cards currently held in bonded warehouses.
“We have agreed to a GH¢100 million facility to ensure that the 3.2 million cards are released,” Mr. Ofori-Atta indicated and added “GH¢80 million has been deposited, and the remaining GH¢20 million will be paid by this evening.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House