The New Patriotic Party’s government has been marred with yet another setback where a pilot roll- out exercise which was slated to begin by the National Identification Authority (NIA) has experienced yet another technical hitch and unpardonable distraction after many unsuccessful attempts in previous years.
The Executive Secretary of the Authority Professor Kenneth Attafuah had earlier announced through several media interactions and fora that, the much awaited and publicized National Identification Card Policy will gain legitimacy after the rolled- out pilot exercise by end of May (28/5/2018″).
However, what seemed to be a novel and landmark national exercise in the annals of the country where every eligible Ghanaian as well as foreigners who have attained a certain legal requirements as in citizenship will be expected to be allocated with a National Identification Card which has been christened as the new “Ghana Card”.
The process is expected to be initialized through a robust operating system to enhance efficiency through an instant issuance of the “Ghana card” for all Ghanaians for movements, cross border activities and transaction motives as well as, as a sacred National Identity tool in the form of a legitimate access card in the country.
But sadly, the exercise failed to glitter when the opportunity availed itself for the authority and the Akufo-Addo- led government to prove their mettle, before the tacit admiration of the Ghanaian populace.
The failure of the Program is anchored on mass politicization by the NPP where reports emerged after the 2016 Polls that, experienced personnel at the Authority who has gone through adequate and sophisticated training in operating and manning the equipment as well as verification devices in both home and abroad at the laps of the overburdened tax payer.
In the early stage of the government, rumors lingered to the effect that, the Akufo-Addo government virtually sacked all ‘Mahama personnel’ and also in worst situations they were asked to embarked on involuntarily retirement or forced to proceed on leave in 2017 for no obvious offense against them whatsoever.
Moreover, this pave way for top echelons in government to bring in their own ‘ darling souls’ for placement purposes and the result is what we are witnessing today!
Though, a swift and pragmatic press statement has been communicated to the general public by the communication directorate of the NIA which suggests that, the process which was due to take off on the scheduled date did suffered a technical interruption.
And as laughable as it may sound exuberantly to the ear, the explanation by the Authority smacks of extreme incompetence and lack of forthrightness by the managers calls for a major punitive sanction, for lack of due diligence and negligence of job description.
The incompetence tag has become an albatross on the government and absolutely no mercy – appeal any empathy can salvaged them from this acute infectious and emblematic description of corruption which has assumed a magnitude of unassailable proportion in the Akufo-Addo’s “Family and Friends Government”.
As revealing as it may be portrayed by this development, am by this revelation demanding an immediate resignation by the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA) Professor Ken Attafuah and his assigns for the shabby and crass administrative bankruptcy which they have exhibited so far as managing the authority is concerned.
Or is this also a mutual pact between the usual “family and friends” at large as well as a reward package?
However, any move by the authority by any means to bamboozle the state will not be countenance by any stretch of imagination. Am by this call again, that if Ghanaians do not to witnessed a rather more proactive and matured realization of this laudable project, many discerning minds with highly analytical prowess would put up a spirited resistance and aggression with extreme furor, because the poverty – driven tax payer’s money will not be allowed to go unchecked and unaccounted to say the least.
This were the same bunch of so- called elites class who incessantly spite fire and glow in flames each time the erstwhile Mahama administration began the implementation of any laudable initiative and social intervention but shockingly the NPP seemed to be trekking and pacing on similar footsteps, and the very thing which they opposed and vehemently accused the previous government is exactly what they meddling themselves in. In fact I wonder and often phantom if these people are those that heavily jibes and castigated the then NDC in government between 2012- 2016.
The abysmal activation of this ineptitude in the commencement and distribution cradle of “Ghana Card” to a population of over 26 million plus Ghanaians have been left to hang in the balance, with many expressing different assertions to that regard in a rather disdainfully manner.
It is indeed regrettable to note and very unconvincing to ponder to the extent that, though the NIA has a well coordinated system approach to avert any data challenge or glitch in the unforeseeable period and situation.
There are limitations and deficiencies in the characters and staffs that have been designated at the institution to constitute or see to the promulgation of the national issuance of the cards which is costing the ordinary citizens some UDS1.2billion. Wow! With this scanty population?
Eeiiiiiiiii!
Anyway how much did it cost the Indian government to run similar program?
I humbly request and appeal the appropriate stakeholders and the masses in their millions that, Ghana is gradually getting back to the dark days where the culture of silence was the retribution as plea for clemency where innocent citizens were chased out from their homes with machetes and cutlasses for openly taken a swipe at officials for perpetuating fraud and naked abuse of state resources, to the detriment of the ordinary tax payer.
It however suffixes to remark that the act is meant to gag and further contrived as wheels of cultivation of vile attacks by means of proxy meant to put fear and panic into Ghanaians from all walks of lives. As in the cases of IMANI’s Franklin Cudjoe on the Kelni GvG Scandal and Ace investigator Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ expose’ on corruption at the Ghana Football Association where the duo who are acting upon different scripts have received death threats by dissenters.
For am unfazed and unperturbed about any machinations against my personality.
After all, President Akufo-Addo during his Investiture on 7th January, 2017 at the independence square, implored all Ghanaians to be “citizens, and not spectators”
For me I response to the enviable Name of Hadji Mustaphar, a humble constituent at Dome Kwabenya, and am a proud citizen not spectator.
……..signed….
(Hon.Hadji Mustaphar)
(2330248003664)
Dome Kwabenya
Greater Accra
