Hot!
NIA pushes distribution of Ghana Card to tomorrow
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has deferred to tomorrow, the issuance of 3,875,441 Ghana cards to their respective owners across the country.
According to the NIA, the postponement is to allow the authority complete the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all centres.
“Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted,” a statement issued yesterday by the NIA Head of Corporate Affairs, Assistant Comptroller of Immigration (ACI) Francis Palmdetti said.
The exercise which was initially slated for yesterday involved the distribution of the cards to applicants at 5,635 registration centres.
According to a statement signed and issued in Accra on Friday June 5 by (ACI) Palmdeti, Head of Corporate Affairs, NIA, would be completed on June 16.
It said the nationwide card issuance would enable 11,062,850 Ghanaians to possess Ghana cards in good time to use it to vouch for their relatives or other Ghanaians who wish to register during the nationwide Mop-Up registration exercise.
The statement noted that the Mop-Up registration exercise would begin on June 18 and conclude in mid-September later this year.
The statement said the Ghana cards would also enable persons in possession of it use it for other mandatory purposes stated in the National Identity Register Regulation, 2012 (LI 2111), including registering as a voter and vouching for others as Ghanaians.
All NIA officials, it said, would be provided with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for use during the exercise in the wake of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The statement noted that all registration centres would be equipped with the requisite resources to ensure the strict adherence of all prescribed health and safety protocols.
Additionally, security personnel would be deployed at each registration centre to ensure that crowd control measures including physical distancing and appointment systems were strictly observed, it added.
The statement urged all applicants who would partake in the Ghana Card collection exercise at the various registration centres to wear a face or nose mask and wash their hands before they begin the card collection process.
BY TIMES REPORTER
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has announced its return to the platforms of Media General following what it describes as successful reconciliation talks between the two sides.
The party’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Koduah, made the announcement during an interview on one of the company’s programmes, TV3.
His appearance marks the end of a standoff that kept the NPP away from the media house for about a year.
Mr. Frimpong Koduah explained that after the elections, the party decided to stay away from the station until further notice.
He said during that period, there were several discussions between the party and the management of Media General to resolve their differences.
According to him, the party’s Director of Communications was instructed to issue an official statement confirming that the NPP had “smoked the peace pipe” with Media General and would return to its platforms.
“As General Secretary and chief spokesperson of the party, I needed to appear on the show for the rank and file of our party to know that indeed the NPP is back to Media General,” he said.
He added that party members should not be alarmed when they see NPP communicators appearing on the station’s programmes.
He stressed that the decision to return is official and based on a gentleman’s agreement reached by both parties.
Mr. Frimpong Koduah noted that both the political party and the media house need each other to function effectively in a democracy.
He expressed hope that going forward, there would be mutual respect and a level playing field in their relationship.
He urged the media house to engage the right party officials when seeking the NPP’s position on national issues.
According to him, some individuals in the past claimed to speak for the party but did not represent its official position.
In a related development, management of Media General issued a statement welcoming the NPP’s decision to return.
The statement said the company has consistently upheld high standards of journalism ethics, fearless reporting and impartial coverage.
The company assured the public of its continued commitment to truth and fairness.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Government Communicator , Dr Sammy Ayeh, has defended the decision to recall Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mohammed Baba Jamal, amid public debate over alleged vote buying issues linked to the Ayawaso contest.
Dr Ayeh dismissed suggestions that the recall should be compared to the case of Hajia Amina Adam, who has been mentioned by some commentators as a government appointee.
He argued that the comparison does not hold because the two roles are not the same.
He questioned claims that Hajia Amina Adam serves on three boards, stating that only the Hajj Board has been publicly identified.
He indicated that there was no clear evidence to support assertions that she holds multiple board positions.
According to Dr Ayeh, Baba Jamal’s former position as High Commissioner carried a different level of responsibility.
He explained that a high commissioner represents the President and Ghana’s image abroad, which he described as distinct from board membership.
He maintained that the recall should therefore not be interpreted as unfair or inconsistent treatment.
In his view, the nature of Baba Jamal’s diplomatic role justified separate consideration.
By: Jacob Aggrey
