Ghana Card: I’ve no interest in disenfranchising Voltarians – Nana Addo
President Nana Akufo-Addo has said he has no interest in disenfranchising any group of persons from the Volta Region as claimed by some persons from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in their protest against the criteria for registration for the National Identification Card.
As it stands, only passports or birth certificates are allowed as formal proof of citizenship.
Those without the approved primary documents must produce two people, either family members or people who have already registered to vouch for them under oath as genuinely being Ghanaians before they can also be registered.
Even though the Minority in Parliament played a role in approving the amendment of the law that allowed this registration process, they have made a u-turn and kicked against its implementation.
In protest over the National Identification Authority’s (NIA) insistence on following the law by disallowing the use of the Voters’ ID, the minority NDC has decided to boycott the entire process.
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, also accused the NIA, of deliberately trying to block people from the Volta Region from being issued with the Ghana Cards.
But speaking at Anloga as part of his three-day tour of the Volta Region, Nana Addo explained to the chiefs and people the importance of the National Identification Card and discounted claims that his administration intends to disenfranchise Ghanaians.
“I have no interest whatsoever in disenfranchising any Ghanaian, the card is meant for Ghanaians, and that is why Parliament with the full support of both sides of the House; the Minority and the Majority, both supported the new law that is being applied by the NIA.”
He said there is no justification for the Minority’s disapproval of the law since they were part of the process of approving the new legislation.
“So it is unfortunate that some people [Minority] are approving and disapproving their own work. The work that was done by Parliament was done on a bi-partisan national, consensus basis… There is no justification for people coming to say these particular people [NPP] are doing this to disenfranchising X, Y or Z,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Source: citinewsroom.com
