Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs has called for the immediate removal from office of the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof. Ken Attafuah.
Speaking on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsroma’ programme, he stressed that the best procedure for Prof. Attafuah who calls himself expert in the field he heads, was to first start the process from the villages, in way of testing the machines to be in good shape, before involving dignitaries.
“How can Prof. Ken Attafuah on two occasion set the President, his Vice and some top officials up for what he claims is caused by ‘technical hitch’? I call on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to get him immediately out of office for incompetency,” he said.
According to Allotey Jacobs, the creation of the NIA with new equipment to facilitate a nationwide issuance of a national ID card, known as the Ghana Card is a waste of money to the country.
“Creation of the NIA is just a waste of money in this third world country . . . they could have integrated everything into one card as well as make use of the machines used by the Electoral Commission [EC] , since they are not using those machines now,” he suggested.
BACKGROUND
The National Identification Authority, (NIA) Monday apologized to Ghanaians for being unable to start the national mass registration exercise with the selected institutions, attributing the failure to a technical hitch, which it is working feverishly to resolve.
In a statement, signed by its Acting Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Francis Palmdeti, it stated, “The National Identification System has suffered a technical hitch, which has affected the NIA’s ability to commence roll-out as scheduled.
“Details of the technical difficulties will be communicated to the general public in due course.
“Our technical team is working fervently to resolve the issue for registration to begin. Under the circumstance registration was suspended today until the problem is completely resolved”.
Source: Elizabeth Semiheva Bedi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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For once, Mr. Allotey has a good case. Ken has exhibited gross incompetence. His excuse of "technical glitch" amounts to incompetency. Even in boxing, a referee's advice is "defend yourself at all times" for there is no excuse if you're caught with a deadly blow. In the same vein if you announce to a whole nation a date for the issuance of ID cards (next day), you should have been sure that all measures were in place to avoid any unforeseen technical glitch. By the way who gave Ken the "Professor" title. I know he taught at GIMPA for less than 6 years and all of a sudden he's called "Professor". I know there are several rungs in the teaching profession at the university. From lecturer to professor takes not less than 15 years and requires numerous publications, conference presentations, and service on various committees. Even then one needs external assessors to confirm that one is ripe for the "professor" title. I'm curious to know how Ken became a "Professor" all of a sudden after 3-4 years at GIMPA. We live in a society where people are smart at grabbing titles and the press stick with it in no time. And now he's messing up $2.9 billion of Ghana's money - " a square peg in a round hole" indeed.
So Allotey who will you not sack in the Akuffo Addo govt if given the chance, answer - all including the president.
I support his Claims but what Allotey Jacobs has to know is we cannot use Electoral Commission [EC]Machine for this project. This Project is not one time but for future and any one whose card is missing will be replaced and all the new babies born will also be registered .
At least NDC Machines worked for the voters registration. i will rather get someone who dupes me and my machine works that an incompetent person always blaming on technical hitch
Sack and bring who NDC Nations dupers. where was NIA during NDC 8 years. U can refuse to be regitered and see if u will vote in 2020. NO election raging again ooooooo. Haaaaaaahaa beter days ahead. Electral Commission.