The National Identification Authority (NIA) has responded to allegations that it was secretly conducting a pilot Ghana Card registration exercise in Pusiga, Upper East Region, to get voters onto the register for the 2024 elections.**NIA RESPONDS TO HON. OMANE BOAMAH ON PILOT GHANA CARD REGISTRATION EXERCISE IN PUSIGA, UPPER EAST REGION****INTRODUCTION**The NIA’s attention has been drawn to a Facebook post dated May 21, 2024, by Hon. Dr. Omane Boamah of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). In his post, Dr. Omane Boamah made several allegations, including:1. The NPP has criminalized state institutions, including the NIA.2. The NIA, led by Dr. Bawumia’s close friend Ken Attafuah, has chosen this voter registration period to issue Ghana Cards to Ghanaians living along the Ghana-Burkina Faso border in Pusiga.3. The NIA aims to enable these people to register to vote within the final seven days.4. The exercise is a politically motivated endeavor disguised as a collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM).5. The NIA is issuing cards to minors and misrepresenting their ages in the limited voter registration exercise conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC).At the end of the post, Dr. Omane Boamah questioned the purpose of the NIA.**RESPONSES, DENIALS, AND ASSURANCES**The NIA categorically denies all the allegations and assures the public of its integrity and adherence to the law. Specifically:1. **Criminalization of NIA:** The NIA has not been criminalized by any entity. The NIA’s leadership comprises individuals of high integrity who will not tolerate any criminalization of its operations. 2. **Malicious Timing of Pusiga Registration:** The registration exercise in Pusiga was initiated by the IOM on August 30, 2023, after a stakeholder consultation on border security. The exercise began on May 20, 2024, fully funded and organized by the IOM.3. **Registration of Unqualified Applicants:** The NIA denies equipping unqualified persons with Ghana Cards to register to vote. The NIA is not involved in any illegal activities related to the EC’s registration process.4. **Collaboration with IOM:** The collaboration with the IOM is legitimate and aims to register Ghanaians in border communities to facilitate their identification and access to services. The NIA does not aid illegal voters.5. **Issuance of Cards to Minors:** The NIA denies issuing cards to minors or misrepresenting ages. Allegations of such activities should be reported to the police.The NIA remains committed to its mandate of registering all Ghanaians and issuing Ghana Cards to promote the country’s development. The Pusiga registration exercise is lawful and necessary to ensure proper identification and border security.**CONCLUSION**Dr. Omane Boamah’s allegations are unfounded. The NIA will continue its operations in accordance with the law and maintain the highest standards of integrity. The public is urged to disregard these baseless claims.
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