COVID-19: Suspend Ghana Card registration – GMA to NIA

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has asked the National Identification Authority (NIA) to hold on with the Ghana Card registration following the coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.

The GMA said the registration, if not stopped following Ghana recording seven cases, will further endanger the lives of the staff of the NIA and Ghanaians in general.

A statement issued by President of the GMA, Dr Frank Ankobeah, said the NIA’s continues registration violates the order given by the president against all social gatherings.

“The mass registration exercise also defeats the spirit and letter of the directives (especially on the mass gatherings) issued by His Excellency the President of the Republic if Ghana as part of the measures to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in the country,” the statement said.

“It is the considered view of the GMA that the mass registration activities by the NIA, if allowed to continue could create a fertile ground for potential spread of COVID-19 endangering the lives of the staff of the NIA, the communities involved and the entire nation in the process. This will undoubtedly be fatal for the country.

“The government is also urged to begun enforcement of self-isolation of all Ghanaian citizens and residents returning to Ghana from countries with High disease burden of COVID-19 in accordance with self-isolation guidelines as issued by the Ghana Health Service (GHS),” the statement added.