In response to grave allegations of misconduct, extortion from Ghana Card applicants, and violation of standard operating procedures, the National Identification Authority (NIA) has taken decisive action, dismissing ten (10) staff members. The NIA’s management arrived at this decision after comprehensive investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service at NIA’s headquarters in Acera.
The process involved the suspension of the implicated officers, the constitution of a Disciplinary Committee of Inquiry to afford each individual a fair hearing as mandated by law, and the subsequent endorsement of the Disciplinary Committee’s findings by the NIA’s management.
These now-dismissed officers faced allegations including soliciting and accepting unauthorized fees from Ghana Card applicants and manipulating the registration system for personal gain. These actions were documented across multiple NIA offices, including the Head Office in Accra, Subin Sub-Metro District Office in Kumasi, Western Regional Office in Takoradi, Registrar General’s Department Office at Accra Central, Adentan Municipal Office, and La-Nkwantanang Municipal Office.
The unethical behavior of these staff members contradicted the core values of transparency and integrity that underpin the NIA’s mission. These actions tarnished the NIA’s reputation and its fundamental purpose of fostering credibility, dependability, and trustworthiness in public service delivery.
Addressing the issue during recent visits to NIA’s 16 Regional Offices across the nation, Prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, the Executive Secretary of NIA, affirmed the institution’s unwavering commitment to upholding unwavering professionalism, accountability, and ethical conduct.
This dismissal serves as a robust signal that the safeguarding of NIA employees’ human rights will be complemented by swift and unequivocal enforcement of the law. The aim is to establish a resolute, ethical, adaptive, and competent national body dedicated to fostering a nation that its citizens can genuinely take pride in.
Prof. Attafuah further pledged to introduce additional measures to forestall similar misconduct in the future. This entails strengthening internal oversight mechanisms, instituting periodic integrity training for staff, and establishing a platform for citizens to report any instances of misconduct or irregularity they may encounter in their interactions with the NIA.