The National Identification Authority (NIA) has rubbished claims that there’s a growing mistrust between the Authority and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, in a Facebook post in February 2023, alleged that there is a trust deficit from the NDC towards the NIA and Electoral Commission (EC) following the proposed Constitutional Instrument (CI) for election 2024.
He said the time is not right for the EC to use the Ghana Card as the sole identification for registration of the Voter Cards, a move the NDC has also kicked against.
The NIA responding to Professor Gyampo’s claims in a statement and insisted that there’s no serious trust deficit between NIA and NDC describing such assertions as false and misleading.
“NIA finds the foregoing statements as constituting a solid and unequivocal endorsement of the work, competence and integrity of NIA by the NDC. Any trust deficits in the relationship between NIA and NDC have dissipated and thawed.
“Simply put, there is no mistrust between the two entities. Some individual NDC members have genuine questions of fairness and inclusivity; these concerns do not reflect mistrust, and are being addressed. It is fair to suppose that most members of the NDC leadership, past and present, understand that the National Identification System (NIS) Project is an evolving one, and that the NIA leadership is actuated by proper motives and considerations,” the NIA noted in its press statement issued on March 10, 2023.
The Authority blasted the Political Science Lecturer for failing to provide evidence to back his claims.
“Notably, he contends that “both NIA and EC suffers (sic) from a serious trust deficit from the main opposition party”. We assume that the reference to “the main opposition party” is to the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Beyond the bare assertion, Prof. provides no evidence of the “serious trust deficit” that allegedly exists between NIA and NDC. Professors have a professional duty to be current in their assertions and to provide the evidentiary bases for them,” the NIA slammed.
The NIA entreated Professor Gyampo to be mindful of the words he spews as they have the tendency to create needless tension or exacerbate conflict in society.
“This is particularly so when a commentary concerns existing relationships between individuals or groups. False and misleading characterization of current relationships can create needless tension or exacerbate conflict in society,” the Authority said.
The NIA stated that it has undertaken stakeholder engagements with all political parties at different stages of its work and that the information shared has contributed immensely to the improvement of relations between NIA and NDC.
The NIA stressed, “changes in perception favouring NIA at present may be largely due to the growing body of empirical evidence that allays the fears and concerns of those NDC members who were suspicious of the NIA leadership under an NPP Government. NIA has undertaken stakeholder engagements with all political parties at different stages of its work, and dutifully responded to each and every single invitation from Parliament to brief it on the progress of the NIS Project. We believe that the interactions and information shared have contributed immensely to the improvement of relations between NIA and NDC. In short, NIA disagrees that there is “a serious trust deficit from the NDC” toward NIA”.
Click here to read full statement by the NIA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/HxIdeZ8LdaE