The National Identification Authority (NIA) has extended the Ghana card registration exercise in the Volta Region by three weeks.
The exercise which ended in the region on August 14 will commence again on August 29 until September 18.
The Corporate Communications Director at the NIA, Francis Pamdetti told Citi FM that a lot of people, especially those in densely-populated areas are yet to be registered, hence the extension.
“The authority has decided to do a mop-up in the Volta Region and that mop-up will start on 29th August and end on 18th September. The reason for the mop-up is to register persons in areas where we did not spend much time registering people and so we noticed that quite a number of people were left out and also in densely populated areas we realized that there were still lots of people who are yet to be captured.â€
The Volta Region is the first region after the Greater Accra region to have the mass registration exercise.
The exercise started in the region on 22nd July, 2019.
Many prospective applicants faced several difficulties in their quest to register for the Ghana card in the region including network challenges, frequent breakdown of machines, long queues among others.
 NIA officials exhibiting bad attitudes towards indigenes - NDC alleges
Executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Volta Region are alleging that some NIA officials deployed to the region for the Ghana Card registration exhibit lukewarm attitudes, disrespect to applicants despite their age, status among other misconducts.
Residents in the Volta region are facing several difficulties in their quest to be captured into the Ghana card programme.
The process has not been smooth following numerous challenges that has come along with the exercise for more than 3 weeks including network problems, frequent breakdown of machines, long queues, sleeping at registration centres overnight among others were observed.
Following these developments, executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the region have accused the National Identification Authority (NIA) of discriminating against Voltarians.
At a press conference held in Ho to express their concerns, the NDC’s National Director of Elections, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah said they (party executives) had toured several registration centres across the region, mostly rural Volta and observed the agonies people pass through to get their cards.
In the presser, Ankrah mentioned that the NDC was not impressed with how the exercise has been organised, alleging, that some NIA officials exhibit lukewarm attitudes, disrespect to applicants despite their age and status and among other misconducts.
“Considering the educational background and ages of some of our elders in this region, we expected the registration officers selected for this process in our region to be trained on handling aged people with respect and dignity, however it rather appears the NIA officials who were deployed to our region have a PhD in disrespect, rudeness, arrogant and foul language,†he stressed.
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