Aflao (VR), Jul 25, GNA- Thousands of printed Ghana Cards are waiting in the Ketu South office of the National Identification Authority (NIA) to be collected by applicants.
The number, which stood at 13,315 as at the end of June 2022, included those for applicants, who registered since the roll-out of the exercise in 2019 till the setting up of the office in the Municipality on November 03, 2021.
Mrs Elsie Dowokpor, officer in charge, Ketu South NIA during a visit by the Ghana News Agency Friday said the Municipal office within the period of its establishment till June 2022, enrolled a total of 6,965 applicants out of which it printed 4,844 cards.
She said a total of 10,746 cards were issued with the outstanding number yet to be collected standing at 13,315.
She acknowledged some challenges including the mix up of the cards in boxes and at different districts making it difficult for some applicants to get their cards resulting in a pile up.
Mrs Doworkpor said her office had claimed cards of applicants in the Municipality from other places. They ended up at their office and called on people to come for their important documents.
“The challenge now is that most applicants are no longer coming for their cards. It’s possible they might have come a couple of times and couldn’t get it and so they’re tired. But I want to assure them that we’ve sorted everything so let them come.
And again, new enrollment is ongoing but the challenge with that is we’re unable to readily print the cards because of the unavailability of blank cards. So, you come, we get you enrolled, you go back and when the cards are later printed, we call you to come back for it.”
Some applicants in an interview bemoaned the delays and long hours they had to wait to either get to pick up their cards or get registered.
Madam Aisha Suleiman who was reporting at the office for the third time for her card said she registered in 2019 and hoped that would be her last visit to the office.
“I came here around 8 o’clock to pick up my card but I must wait for barely one more hour till it’s 2 because that’s when they will start seeing to those of us here for the cards. The one who issues the card is also part of the registration team so he must take a break from there to see to us. The office needs more staff to prevent the delays and long waits which mostly lead to fights and quarrels among applicants.”
Another applicant, Madam Paulina Fiadzorgbe said, “I was among the first batch to register for the card, and I have a strong belief that today, my fourth attempt at getting the card won’t be in vain.”
GNA