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Vice President applauds National Identification Authority’s Achievements
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on Tuesday, July 4, 2023 lauded Prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, the Executive Secretary, and the staff of the National Identification Authority (NIA), for their remarkable accomplishments in the successful implementation and issuance of the Ghana Card.
H.E. Dr. Bawumia emphasized that Ghana stands among a handful of nations worldwide to have achieved such a significant feat in the biometric National Identification System and stressed that Ghanaians should not underestimate the remarkable milestone achieved.
The Vice President made these remarks while attending the official issuance of Ghana cards to lepers at the Weija Leprosarium earlier today.
He described the day as a momentous occasion for the cured lepers, expressing satisfaction that they were no longer excluded and now had access to the Ghana card.
Prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, the Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority, reiterated the importance of capturing all Ghanaians in the National Identification System as a single source of truth.
He also announced that the NIA in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, Births and Deaths Registry of Ghana, has commenced registration of children aged zero (0) to six (6), and will commence the registration of children between ages 6 and 15, and Ghanaians abroad in due course.
Additionally, Prof. Attafuah expressed concern regarding the large number of uncollected Ghana Cards currently at its 16 Regional and 276 District Offices across the country. With over 800,000 printed cards awaiting collection, he urged individuals who have not yet received their cards to do so promptly.
The National Identification Authority aims to ensure comprehensive coverage of Ghanaians, both at home and abroad, and continues to work diligently to achieve this objective.
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
