I have linked my Ghana Card to my phone, pension, bank accounts and everything – Asiedu Nketia discloses

NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has made a surprising revelation about the need for a Ghana Card and its significance.

The National Identification Authority has indicated that over 17 million Ghanaians have been registered with over 15 million registrants receiving their printed cards.

The card is important for the collection of proper database and for curbing fraudulent activities.

In order to clamp down on SIM fraud, the Minister of Communications has issued a directive to all Ghanaians to register their SIM cards with the Ghana Card and those who fail to do so by the end of September this year risk having their SIM cards deactivated.

The Electoral Commission has also indicated plans to use the Ghana Card for the 2024 elections.

But the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in Parliament have vehemently objected to the SIM re-registration and the EC plans.

One of the strong opponents is the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George, who argues it is unlawful for SIM cards to be deactivated based on a person’s inability to register with the Ghana Card, particularly when the NIA hasn’t been able to register and distribute the cards to every Ghanaian.

“The Ministry of Communication has issued a deadline of 30th of this month, that [from the] first of July, they’re going to deactivate SIM Cards.”

“We have managed to secure the extension, what we are going to do now is to challenge the legality of the procedure, that is our next line of action, we are challenging the legality of the SIM registration process as ongoing. We are not saying SIM registration is illegal, we are saying the procedure and the methodology the Minister has laid out through the NCA is illegal,” he said.

He also insists using the card for the elections will disenfranchise a large section of the Ghanaian electorates.

“Even the Electoral Commission is preparing to bring us a CI that is to create a new Voters Register using the Ghana Card. But majority of our constituents have registered since 2018. The National Identification Authority (NIA) is unable to provide them their Ghana Cards.”

The NDC is blamed for the apathetic behaviour towards the Ghana Card registration and SIM Card re-registration.

Reacting to the issue during Friday’s “Kokrokoo” on Peace FM, the General Secretary of the party, popularly called ‘General Mosquito’, challenged the EC’s plans to use Ghana Card for the elections.

He argued that the NPP claims those who haven’t registered for their Ghana Card is because the NDC discouraged them, so he inferred that those who don’t have the card are all NDC members and supporters.

“You claim the 2 or 3 million people who haven’t registered are NDC people, so if you know these are NDC people and you (EC) are mandated to hold free and fair elections and you are making arrangements to deny the 3 million NDC voters can’t participate, can you then say your elections will be free and fair?”, he asked.

Also responding to whether or not he has a Ghana Card, he emphatically stated; “I have it. I have even linked it to my phone, pension, bank accounts and everything.”