By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, June 23, GNA – About 61,771 unclaimed Ghana Cards, are still in the custody of the Volta Regional Directorate of the National Identification Authority (NIA).
Mr Samuel Mawuli Dayi, the Regional Director of the Authority, who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the figure related to the end of May 2023.
Mr Dayi said Ketu South alone accounted for 10, 567 unclaimed cards, followed by Akatsi South and Central Tongu with 7,589 and 7,513, respectively.
He said the Regional Directorate in Ho, currently had 845 Ghana Cards in its possession, while the Akatsi North office held 908, and Hohoe recording 1,266 unclaimed cards as well.
Giving reasons for the unclaimed cards, the Regional Director said it was suspected that some migrants might have undergone the registration, but had since left the jurisdiction, and other people must have passed on.
He appealed to the public to come for their processed cards, saying “the Ghana Cards has come to stay.”
Meanwhile, the NIA has expanded its premium Ghana Card registration services to five more regions including, Volta, Bono, Bono East, Northern and Western North.
These new hubs would operate alongside the existing premium centres at the NIA and CalBank Head Offices in Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, and Western, a statement issued and signed by Col. Peter Kwame Ghansah (Rtd.), the Acting Head of Corporate Affairs had said.
Mr Dayi said the premium services in Ho, averagely accounts for 50 applicants daily since the exercise started on June 12, 2023.
Registrants could benefit from same day services without conflict of details, when applicants come to the office early enough, and in case of
doubt, affidavits, and gazettes would be relied on to process the cards, he said.
The premium registration centres will offer the following fee-based registration services: for first-time registration and issuance of a Ghana Card at GH¢280; replacement of lost, missing, or damaged cards attracts GH¢110; while update of personal records that requires printing of a new card cost GH¢110.
The NIA said update services that would attract fee include Change or correction of applicant’s name; Change or correction of the order of an applicant’s name; Correction or addition of applicant’s previous name or maiden name.
Others are correction of applicant’s date of birth; Change or correction of applicant’s nationality; Correction of applicant’s gender; and Change or correction of applicant’s height.
It also explained that its premium services would be based on an online booking system as well as walk-in.
GNA