Ghana Card: I didn't register to spite minority; re-examine national ID card concerns - Rawlings to NIA

Former President Jerry John Rawlings has stated that his decision to register for the National Identity Card was to to spite the Minority members of parliament.

According to the former military ruler, contrary to reports in the media and on social media suggesting that his registration was to rubbish calls by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the inclusion of the voters' ID card.

The Minority has maintained using passports and birth certificates alone as proof of identity for acquisition of the card will de-nationalise many Ghanaians since scores in the rural areas of the country do not have either of the requirement.

The minority has therefore refused to register for the cards and called on their members to also stay off.

Former President Rawlings was on Tuesday issued with a National Identification Card popularly called Ghana Card at his Ridge residence in Accra.

The staff of the Authority met him at his residence, took him through the documentation and other processes after which the card was presented to him.

This caused some stare and debate within the media as many insinuated that calls by the minority members of parliament to accept the voters ID card as proof of citizenship for those applying for the cards has been flawed by the founder of the party.

Reacting to the claims in a statement signed by the Communications Director of the office of the Former President, Kobina Andoh Amoakwa, indicated that “The office wishes to state that it is spurious to suggest that former President Rawlings made a call against the minority or the party.

Adding that; “The former President urges all stakeholders, especially the National Identification Authority and both the Minority and Majority caucuses in Parliament to deliberate dispassionately on the concerns, many of which are legitimate, in a bid to bring sanity into our democratic process and ensure that all eligible Ghanaians benefit from the process,”

Read full statement below;

RAWLINGS URGES STAKEHOLDERS TO RE-EXAMINE NATIONAL I.D. CARD CONCERNS

The attention of the office of His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings has been drawn to publications in sections of the media and on social media platforms insinuating that his decision to register for the National Identity card was a call to members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to disregard the position taken by the party and the minority in Parliament.

The office wishes to state that it is spurious to suggest that former President Rawlings made a call against the minority or the party.

The principle of Ghana having a valid Identity Card System is what the former President is committed to and he respects positions taken to ensure that the process is transparent and easily accessible to all.

The former President urges all stakeholders, especially the National Identification Authority and both the Minority and Majority caucuses in Parliament to deliberate dispassionately on the concerns, many of which are legitimate, in a bid to bring sanity into our democratic process and ensure that all eligible Ghanaians benefit from the process.

Signed:

Kobina Andoh Amoakwa (Communications Directorate)