The head of Corporate Affairs at the National Identification Authority (NIA) has said that the Authority is in talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in order to register and issue Ghana cards to citizens in the diaspora.
Mr. Abudu Adul Ganiyu speaking on Angel FM’s Anopa Bofo on Wednesday said the institution is looking forward to train officials of the various Ghanaian embassies abroad to be registration officers on behalf of NIA.
“We are in talks with the Foreign Affairs Ministry to identify the necessary modalities and one of the strategies is to train the officials of the various Ghanaian embassies abroad to represent the NIA as registration officers,” he told host, Kofi Adomah Nwanwani.
Though he did not disclose the exact date the decision would be implemented, he hinted that it wouldn’t take too long.
Speaking in Twi he stated that “we are hoping that this would take place in the next couple of months. When we are ready, we will announce to the public”.
Furthermore, Mr. Abudu Abdul Ganiyu advised that Ghanaians residing abroad should take advantage and get registered for their cards when they return home for the Christmas holidays.
Touching on foreigners residing in the country, he underscored that the law that allows them to go for a resident permit, [for persons staying beyond the stipulated 90 days], also permits them to take a non-citizenship card from the authority.
The non-Ghanaians would have to pay a sum of USD 120 to get a Foreigner Identity card from the NIA.
Meanwhile, the Controller and Accountant General’s Department has cautioned that “effective December 1, workers on the government of Ghana Payroll who have not registered with the NIA will not be paid.”
