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The majority leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, has said that the National Identification Card (Ghana card) will sanitize the system through its robust technology for continuous voter registration exercise in the country.
He made the statement when he was clarifying why the Electoral Commission needed to introduce a new Constitutional Instrument for Parliament to allow it to use the Ghana card as the only form of identification for Ghanaians who have attained 18 years and above to get themselves registered.
Responding to some concerns raised by the NDC caucus who claimed that the new CI would disenfranchise some Ghanaians, Mr. Mensah-Bonsu said it has always been the mandate of the EC to improve Ghana’s electoral system and it is that which the current EC chairperson seeks to do with the new CI, just as previous E.C chairpersons like Dr. Aferi Gyan and Mrs. Charlotte Osei did. Therefore the use of only Ghana card to register Ghanaians would not disenfranchise anyone.
The majority leader explained that previously, people used various forms of documents such as baptismal certificates, national health insurance, Passport among others, and fraudulent documents to register themselves into the system. But the current NIA system is capable of stopping all those fraudulent activities in order to have a credible national ID.
Mr. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu concluded that the minister for finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has assured Parliament that NIA’s needed funds to continue with its job would be provided.
Accordingly Gh¢80 million out of the required Gh100 million has already been given whilst the remaining Gh¢20 million cedis would also be settled before the close of the week.
