The National Identification Authority (NIA) has been awarded the Most Efficient Public Service Delivery Organization at the second edition of the Ghana Integrity Awards (GIAWARDS) at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.
The Prof. Ken Agyeman Attafuah–led NIA came through after competing with five other Public Service Organisations that were tipped for the award in the “Efficient Public Service Delivery Category”.
NIA has been at the helm of the Ghana Card registration exercise which began in April 2019 in the Greater Accra Region and was moved to other regions in turns.
Currently (as at the time of filing this report), over 15 million of Ghanaians aged 15 years and above, representing 84.3% of the total population have been registered for the card.
The authority will be operating from its offices created in all district of the 16 regions of the country to facilitate access to its services including registration, collection of card, card bearer information update, replacement of lost cards, among others.
The scheme is designed to deliver a trust platform that will enhance governance and accountability systems and stimulate the economy towards higher productivity, while affording citizens better opportunities to perform their duties and obligations, to exercise their rights, and to enjoy their privileges in a secure environment.
It will also contribute to revenue mobilization, digital address tracing, crime control and effective policing in the country.
The Ghana Card is to be produced in all transactions where identification is required.
The project highlights Ghana’s commitment to ensuring social and economic inclusion through the construction and use of an effective, modern and secure national database of all citizens that is accessed only by persons or institutions authorised by law to do so.
About Ghana Integrity Awards.
GIAWARDS was launched in 2019 by Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), a local chapter of Transparency International, as part of efforts to promote anti-corruption in public life.
It recognizes the efforts of outstanding individuals and public sector institutions upholding personal and professional integrity and undertaking initiatives aimed at reducing corruption in Ghana within the award timelines.
Five categories are presented during the awards: Policy and Administrative Reforms Category; Transparency and Social Accountability Category; Efficient public Service Delivery Category; Effective Internal Controls Enforcement Category; and Integrity Personality of the Year.
Unlike previous years’ 2021’s GIAWARDS in addition to recognizing outstanding individuals and public sector institutions making a significant contribution to the fight against corruption in Ghana also recognized private sector institutions (small – large scale) applying integrity standards and effective corruption prevention mechanisms within their institutions and the country as a whole.
Objectives of Ghana Integrity Awards
To use the awards as an incentive to influence positive behaviour in Ghana.
To provide an emotional reward to individuals and organization doing the “right things” with integrity.
To provide genuine incentives for public institutions and individuals to demonstrate their anti-corruption and integrity efforts.
To highlight positive actions/initiatives of public institutions and individuals against the corruption fight.
To erect good role models for the guidance of the rest of society, and to serve as a sharp contrast to behaviors considered detrimental to the country’s progress.
