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Four officials of the National Identification Authority (NIA) and another person have been arrested by the Ghana Police Service for engaging in a number of malpractices in the mass registration exercise in the Ashanti Region.

A statement issued by the NIA said the arrests, which occurred between 3rd and 6th January 2020, were the result of a collaboration between the NIA and some aggrieved citizens in the Ashanti Region who provided to NIA relevant incriminating evidence on the conduct of the suspects and also identified them to the Police.

The four officials include a certain Kenneth Sarfo Boateng – Commissioner for Oaths (CFO), Church of Christ Registration Centre, Nyinampong, Asante-Mampong; Ransford Omane Osei – Mobile Registration Workstation Operator (MRWO), Ampaabame Registration Centre near Ejisu; and De-graft Osei Mensah – Supervising Registration Officer (SRO), Kentinkrono M/A Primary School Registration Centre at KNUST.

The fourth NIA official was Emmanuel Edusei Poku – a District Registration Supervisor (DRS) Kentinkrono M/A Primary School Registration Centre at KNUST while the fifth person who is a non-NIA official was identified as Kwabena Dan – a resident of Nyinampong.

The statement further revealed that the suspects have been granted Police enquiry bail and will be assisting the Police in investigations.

Accordingly, the Executive Secretary of the NIA, Prof. Ken Attafuah has directed the immediate dismissal of the said officials.

Meanwhile, the Management of NIA said it is satisfied, following administrative procedures, that the conduct of its aforesaid registration officials is in breach of the relevant provisions of the Public Service Code of Conduct.

“Management has further determined the said conduct also constitutes an egregious violation of applicable internal rules and regulations governing the conduct of NIA registration officials.

The success of the mass registration exercise will ultimately depend on the level of vigilance and co-operation NIA enjoys from the general public, especially in managing queues, reporting acts of criminality and irresponsibility, and providing evidence that will trigger an effective investigation and/or support effective prosecution,” the statement signed by Assistant Commissioner of Immigration Francis Palmdeti, Head, Corporate Affairs at the NIA said.

Registration update

The National Identification Authority (NIA) has so far registered 5.9 million (5,907,536) people as at the end of 2019 in the ongoing nationwide mass registration exercise.

Of this number, the authority has printed 5.1 million (5,167,994) cards.

Data from the NIA reveals that 3.3 million (3,323,839) of the printed cards have been issued to registrants while persons who did not receive their cards can pick them up at designated places.

The exercise currently ongoing in the Ashanti Region has so far registered one million (1,015,259) people in the region at the end of 2019.

In the Ashanti Region, 761,263 cards have been printed while 552,796 cards have been issued to registrants.

Meanwhile, the NIA has extended the mass registration exercise throughout the Ashanti Region from January 10 to 16.

The extension is intended to restore the two registration days lost in December last year (27 and 28) due to the Christmas holidays.