Some Members of Ghana’s Parliament, especially on the majority side were yesterday issued with the national ID (Ghana Card) by the National Identification Authority, as the Authority continues its nationwide issuance of the Ghana Card.

This comes after a boycott threats of the exercise by members of the Minority.

The Minority in Parliament had earlier announced a boycott of the registration exercise at Parliament for national ID cards citing legal, procurement and cost as concerns.

After issuing the Executive with same card at the Jubilee House, the next stop on the NIA agenda was to issue Members of the House with the Card.

Members, especially those on the Majority side were elated with the issuance of the card, since they were certain it would enhance effective governance.

In an interview with the media, the Member for Okaikoi Central and Deputy Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. Patrick Boamah indicated the need to participate in the registration of the card.

He traced the history of the card to the former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s regime, where he muted the idea upon realizing that Cote D’Ivoire , Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso and all neighbouring countries had their national cards.

He revealed that the registration is not only for Ghanaians, but also includes foreign resident in Ghana as well as refugees.

He added that, the card would help to access the people present in Ghana and their caliber.

This, he said, would help reduce crime such as armed robbery, fraud and the likes, as well as formalizing the economy consequently.

Accusing the Minority of double standard, he said almost all the Members that matter on the side of the Minority in related issue, had back the exercise during the debate in the House.

Citing some members who were really in support of the initiative and even backed its amendment, he said even the member for Tamale Central Hon. Inusah Fuseini and the member for Ellembele Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Boah, both of the minority were happy with the introduction of the Ghana Card and had no problem with the related amendment.

Adding that, Hon. Boah was even of the view that, his constituency is near to the borders of Cote D’voire, and the Ghana Card would be of immense help.

The Minister for Zongo Affairs and Member for Madina, Abubakar Sadique Boniface on his part, indicated that the Card is used in almost all advanced economies, and expressed elation about the exercise by taking part in the registration to have his card issued.

Hon. Sampson Ahi, Member for Sefwi Bodi and Member of the Privileges Committee of Parliament had earlier raised issues on the cost of the project.

According to him, he was confused as to what exactly is the actual cost of the whole execise, claiming some government officials had quote 1.3 billion dollars as cost of the project, whiles others quoting 1.2 billion dollars, and was patiently waiting to hear the actual cost from the NIA which was eventually confirmed after the briefing of the National Identification Authority.

Members took turns to register for their cards and called on Ghanaians to support the exercise by coming out in numbers to register.

 

Exclusively Newslinegh