Pressure group, the Economic Fighters League has called on all Ghanaians to boycott the NIA Ghana Card mass registration in the Eastern Region until the threat of the Coronavirus has been neutralized.
The group contends that the recklessness is dangerous, as officials are blatantly putting political calculations before the lives of the citizenry.
“The President under whom the NIA operates must act responsibly by immediately halting the mass registration exercise to prevent the imminent danger of the spread of the Coronavirus,” a statement by the group said on Friday.
The National Identification Authority has defied all directives and the potential public health risk vis- à-vis the covid-19 pandemic as it has decided to proceed with the mass Ghana Card registration exercise in the Eastern Region.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) wants President Akufo-Addo to call the NIA to order.
“…the Commission is of the considered view that the President or the Inter-Ministerial Committee calls the NIA to order by suspending forthwith its ongoing registration exercise in the Eastern Region until the COVID-9 pandemic normalises.”
The full statement published below
ECONOMIC FIGHTERS LEAGUE
19th March 2020
GOVERNMENT’S RECKLESSNESS WITH NIA REGISTRATION IS PUTTING LIVES AT RISK
1. The government announced measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in Ghana, including closing down schools, churches, mosques and all public gatherings.
2. In our press statement of 17th March, we mentioned the importance of ensuring optimum coordination, coherence and comprehensiveness.
3. These seem to be missing as the government has allowed the National Identification Authority to continue with mass registration in the Eastern Region in violation of the COVID-19 protocols. Earlier today, one of our Commanders was dispatched to monitor the exercise and he reported the existence of crowds of people without even the necessary prevention measures being implemented.
4. This does not only make nonsense of the directives given by the President but put the lives of thousands of Ghanaians at risk of contracting the Coronavirus. It also has the potential of causing a widespread escalation of the disease.
5. This recklessness is indicative of putting political calculations before the lives of the citizenry.
6. We call on all Ghanaians in the Eastern Region to boycott the NIA Ghana Card mass registration until the threat of the Coronavirus has been neutralized.
7. The President under whom the NIA operates must act responsibly by immediately halting the mass registration exercise to prevent the imminent danger of the spread of the Coronavirus.
8. We reiterate our call for all to follow the guidelines on handwashing, social distancing and other preventive measures.
Revolutionary regards
Hardi Yakubu
Fighter-General