The Volta Regional Secretariat of the opposition National Democracy Congress (NDC) has hit back at the National Identification Authority (NIA) saying ignoring and tagging their concerned about the ongoing mass exercise in the region as unfortunate is condemnable.
The Volta NDC in a press statement signed by its Regional Communication Officer, Mr. Sorkpa K. Agbleze and copied Awake News has said “We wish to serve notice to whoever it may concern that the seeds of instability are being sown by the NIA” adding the actions of the authority in the region “is the preparations for not accepting the massive votes that will be coming from the Volta Region in the 2020.”
According to the NDC, “For the NIA to say they are capturing ONLY 572,000 of eligible persons representing 80% of persons inclusive of those who have attained 15 years and above rather exposes the grand agenda by the NIA to denationalize majority of the people in the region.”
“The remnant Volta Region alone has 1,024,397 voters on its register inclusive of the recently held limited registration exercise.” – the statement said
“We want to put on record that 80% of this number is not and cannot be 572,000 as stated by ACI Francis Palmdeti, talk less of adding those who have attained the age of 15 to 17 years in the Region to also partake in the registration exercise.” – Mr. Agbleze added
He has described the actions of the NIA as a move to “denationalizing” the people of the Volta Region and they will not sit aloof and watch.
“We wish to emphasize the fact here and now, that the NIA is denationalizing people in the Volta Region.”
The Volta NDC some few days ago has raised series of concerns about the mass Ghana Card registration exercise notable among those concerned are long queues, low registration, network connectivity, breakdown of equipment and shortage of materials. They have since served noticed that if their concerns are not addressed they will resist any attempt to use the Ghana Card for voting in 2020.
But in a response the NDC’s earlier statement the head of corporate affairs at NIA, ACI Francis Palmdeti has described their press conference as unfortunate. This the NDC has replied saying the NIA “clearly depicts the mark of an individual who is motivated not to be in touch with the reality on the ground as far as the ongoing Ghana Card Registration in the Region is concerned.”
Read their full statement:
PRESS RELEASE
By VOLTA NDC
09/08/2019
RE- NDC’s COMMENTS ON VOLTA REGION GHANA CARD REGISTRATION UNFORTUNATE- NIA
We in the NDC see the response from the NIA to our genuine call for them to improve on the ongoing registration in the region as a rather sad situation and very condemnable.
For the head of corporate affairs at NIA, ACI Francis Palmdeti to describe the press conference organized by the NDC to address the long queues, low registration, network connectivity, breakdown of equipment and shortage of materials as unfortunate clearly depicts the mark of an individual who is motivated not to be in touch with the reality on the ground as far as the ongoing Ghana Card Registration in the Region is concerned.
For the NIA to say they are capturing ONLY 572,000 of eligible persons representing 80% of persons inclusive of those who have attained 15 years and above rather exposes the grand agenda by the NIA to denationalize majority of the people in the region.
The remnant Volta Region alone has 1,024397 voters on its register inclusive of the recently held limited registration exercise.
We want to put on record that 80% of this number is not and cannot be 572000 as stated by ACI Francis Palmdeti, Talk less of adding those who have attained the age of 15 to 17 years in the Region to also partake in the registration exercise.
We refute completely and vehemently the figure quoted by ACI Francis Palmdeti, Head of Corporate Affairs of NIA as figures given them by the Ghana Statistical Service.
Where is their own common sense, even if they are not Ghanaians for that matter?
The NDC in the Volta Region wishes to implore all well discerning Ghanaians and the international community that the clandestine agenda by the NIA to create the impression that the Volta Region is not populated and therefore denationalize it’s citizens technically is a recipe for instability.
This is the preparations for not accepting the massive votes that will be coming from the Volta Region in the 2020.
We wish to serve notice to whoever it may concern that the seeds of instability are being sown by the NIA.
We wish to emphasize the fact here and now, that the NIA is denationalizing people in the Volta Region.
And demand that the authority without hesitation or further delay put extra resources, material and time to ensure the unambiguous success of the exercise.
Otherwise, the NDC and its teeming supporters in the Volta Region will not be in a position to accept any suggestions for the use the National ID as a means of voting in elections or an identity document of repute in the Region.
We cannot fathom that the NIA, just on the heels of the challenges they have in the Greater Accra Regions should be having worse challenges in the Volta Region with a quarter of the population of Greater Accra Region.
Is Professor Attefua the head of the NIA still?
Signed
Sorkpa K. Agbleze
NDC Volta Regional
Communication Officer
By: Efo Korsi Senyo / awakenewsroom.com
