It took a lot of efforts to convince a section of the population to register for the Ghanacard.
Some skeptics had fallen prey to the diabolic propaganda of bad politicians who had put a negative spin on the document.
In this country, every good thing is politicised because after all, these are not originated by the NDC. Empirical evidence abound to support this. The free SHS and the National Insurance Scheme are but a few initiatives which originated from the NPP. They were accordingly bastardised just so Ghanaians would turn their backs on them.
Same was done to the Ghanacard when the programme was rolled out.
With the digitisation project, now in full flight, and the impetus no longer in doubt, there is an overwhelming pressure on the National Identification Authority (NIA) to process the first successful mass citizenship identification card for eligible citizens.
We have taken note of the authority’s efforts in addressing the pressure through the opening of new outlets for the procedure.
The most critical task as the NIA addresses requests for the card is about the security of the process and the document.
Thousands of non-Ghanaians are seeking the citizenship card although there exists a non-citizen identity card category into which such persons fall. Such persons seek to enjoy the impetus associated with Ghanaian citizenship and would therefore use dubious means to outwit the scrutiny of NIA officials.
We are aware of the attachment of law enforcement personnel at the headquarters of the authority and how in the past, these persons have had to deal with issues of foreigners using forged documents and acting through citizens to beat the system.
The foregone notwithstanding, we would ask that the system is tightened to prevent unqualified persons from acquiring this security document.
There is no limit to where unqualified persons, who manage to acquire the Ghanacard, cannot go in this country and this to the detriment to the country’s interest.
There are fears that given the overwhelming pressure on NIA officials, the likelihood of lowering of guard cannot be ruled out. A mechanism of superior officers scrutinising the work of their subordinates to ensure that unqualified persons do not acquire the Ghanacard would add to the security of the identification card.
The integrity of the Ghanacard must be ensured by not only NIA officials processing the requests, but by other citizens. It is our civic responsibility to raise objection backed by verifiable evidence when unqualified persons attempt acquiring the Ghanacard.