EC at liberty to use NIA data or not – NIA boss

The National Identification Authority says the decision to use its data for voter registration is for the Electoral Commission to make as an independent body.

The Minority in Parliament on Tuesday raised concerns about the EC’s neglect of the data of the NIA for its exercise; stating that the EC does not know the importance of data synchronization.

Addressing the media, the Executive Secretary of the NIA, Professor Ken Attafuah said the EC’s decision is not wrong.

“The Electoral Commission is at liberty to use or not to use. If the Electoral Commission decides not to use there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I think it is an election that the Electoral Commission has a decision to make.”

“On the personal level, I’m hopeful that in the future we will reach a destination where the national identity register and the Ghana card are both of such- stature, possess such credibility and resilience that institutions and individuals gravitate to its use than the other way round.”

Meanwhile, the NIA says about 32,756 persons registered more than once for the Ghana Card.

There has been a battle between the Minority in Parliament over EC’s decision to use the Ghana card and passport as the only requirement to register for the voters’ ID.

However, on 9th June 2020, the legislators voted in a 102 to 96 decision in favour of the amendment of the Constitutional Instrument empowering the EC to organise elections in the country.

The EC presented the Public Election (Amendment) Regulation, 2020 (C.I. 126) to Parliament to amend C.I 91 in order to change the current identification requirements.

This means the old voter ID will not be valid for registering to vote.