Dormaa Ahenkro, (B/R), Jan. 29, GNA – Mr Emmanuel Agyemang, the Dormaa Central Municipal Registration Officer of the National Identification Authority (NIA) says the Authority has prioritized the aged, pregnant women and Persons with Disability (PWDs).
This means they will not go through normal registration processes associated with delays.
He said delays in registration and issuance of the cards were not deliberate, but due to several challenges including poor internet connectivity.
The Registration Officer said although few elderly people and pregnant women were registering, priority had been given to them, while scores of applicants continued thronging the registration center.
“We tried explaining to applicants the need for them to allow the elderly, pregnant women and PWDs as well as essential service workers to register and obtain their cards.
“Security services personnel, health workers as well as teachers are also given the same opportunity because of the nature of their work”, Mr Agyemang told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Bono Region.
He said the Authority sped up registration and issuance of the cards saying “we now have seven staff and two National Service Personnel supporting the exercise.
Mr Agyemang explained the registration was now being done at the Municipal office unlike the mop up exercise, where various centres were spread across different centres in the municipality, saying the office would move to other communities as well.
“This notwithstanding, we still register people coming from distant communities. Lots of new applicants are thronging to register as compared to those who are coming to pick their cards”, he said and urged applicants to remain calm, saying everybody would receive his or her card.
Mr Agyemang advised opinion leaders and Assembly Members in the various communities to identify and assist the aged to register for their cards, indicating “with the size of our machines and equipment, it would be difficult to carry them from house to house to do the registration”.
He expressed appreciation to applicants for their cooperation despite few challenges, including; poor internet network confronting the exercise in the municipality.
GNA