The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has rubbished claims by some leaders and legislators of the National Democratic Congress that the purpose of the National Identification Card is to disenfranchise some Ghanaians, particularly those from the Volta Region.
According to President Akufo-Addo, residents of the Volta Region, who live close to Togo, are aware of the “Carte Nationale d’Identité”, Togo National ID card, and, described as unfortunate Ghana’s inability, for well over 8 years, to have her own National ID card.
“NIA has not refused anything other than what Parliament passed. The legislation that is insisting on passports and birth certificates is not the work of NIA, it is the work of Parliament. It is the law passed by Parliament.
He continued, “I have no interest in disenfranchising any Ghanaian. The card is meant for Ghanaians, and that is why Parliament, with the full support of both sides of the house, the minority and majority, supported the new law that is being applied by the NIA. So, it is unfortunate that some people are approving and disapproving their own work.”
He noted, therefore, that there is no justification for anyone, let alone Minority MPs, to “come back and then say these particular people are doing this to disenfranchise x, y or z persons. We are not disenfranchising anybody. If you don’t have a birth certificate, passport, all you have to do is to produce a Ghanaian to vouch for you, and you get your card.”
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Monday, 9th July 2018, when he commissioned the Anlo Shopping Centre, a project completed by the Akufo-Addo Government, at the commencement of his 3-day tour of the Volta Region.
I have no interest in disenfranchising any Ghanaian – Akufo-Addo
