Board Chairman of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Larry Adjetey, has described the Authority as a “poverty stricken” institution.
According to him, the NIA which has enormous task of having to provide a credible identification data for Ghanaians receives a meager budgetary allocation which is highly insufficient for the job they are required to do.
Responding to allegations of corruption at a press conference organized by the NIA, Larry Adjetey said it is disgraceful the amount of money the NIA has to operate with.
“The whole year do you know how much they have? I can’t even disclose it. It’s so shameful. The whole year budget for their operations is GHC760, 000… That is a fact. This is what we are grappling with and at the end people turn around and make it look like there is stealing” he said.
He further justified decision by the NIA to go for a $115 million Chinese loan facility adding the funds, if approved by government will help provide more reliable and secured identification cards for Ghanaians.
The authority has come under intense criticism from persons such Herman Chinery-Hesse for requesting for another money to provide new round of registration for national identification cards.
Speaking to Citi News Chief Executive officer of the NIA, Dr. Josiah Cobbah explained that the new Ghana card would harmonize the various identity cards in the system.
“We need to provide them with the gadget that makes it possible for you to use your identity online. All those things involve money. So we need funding so that is why we are pursuing the Chinese facility to build our infrastructure,” he added.
