The NIA; Hmmmmm!

The National Identification Authority was set out to implement a visionary project of creating a database of all the inhabitants of Ghana- be it foreign or local inhabitants.

My experience with the project makes me doubt the rationale behind the whole process in the first place. In my candid opinion, the National Identification process is nothing but discriminatory. Foreign nationals are obliged to compulsory purchase the NIA ID card before they are allowed to acquire their visa. If you ask me, it smells like extortion. The cards provides no special benefit that the passport does to these foreign nationals, a number of them have expressed to me in conversations. The only special effect it has is that it is a constant reminder to our visitors that they ought to leave: with a bold inscription that says “NON CITIZEN”; yes we know they are not.

Again they are made to pay a fee of “120 USD” for the card, knowing very well that the cedi is depreciating against the dollar. And apparently this card is renewable every year for “NON CITIZEN”. They would likely pay 120 American dollars for the renewal too. The impudence of this is some Ghanaians have registered five years ago still don’t have their cards ready whiles Immigration prints these cards almost immediately to immigrant – YES the all mighty American Dollar speaks!

I went to the NIA near the Gulf House at Shiashie in Accra – Ghana on the 22^nd of January and the only benefit I derived form my tedious journey was an inscription on my receipt that my card is “STILL IN THE SYSTEM”. The furious client who declined giving his name stormed out so frustrated. He complained of how he had to come from Haatso and every time he comes, the receptionist gives him telephone numbers that hardly goes through. According to him he has been coming since September; if he has been patient and coming back and forth since September, why am I complaining?

 

Two other clients came and they told me that they were asked to pay 10 GHC for Extracts (a temporary slip that could still be used.)

But I must commend a diligent worker of the NIA. She simply gave her name as NELLY; she was pregnant at the time. She understands what she does; Public Relation is not an institution but rather a corporate culture that starts with the employees serving the clients.