The National Identification Authority, NIA, has suspended the ongoing mass registration exercise in the Eastern Region effective Saturday, March 21, 2020, pending final determination of an interlocutory injunction placed on the exercise.
An interlocutory injunction has been filed at the High Court by two Ghanaians seeking to restrain the Authority from continuing with the mass registration exercise.
A statement signed by the Head of Corporate Affairs for the Authority, Francis Palmdeti, instructed all field officials to pack away, report to work and render proper accounting of registration equipment, materials, and consumables in their custody to their supervising Registration officers,(SROs| with immediate effect.
The NIA has come under escalating pressure by many Ghanaians and groups including the Ghana Medical Association to halt the mass registration exercise in adherence to President Akufo Addo”s ban on public gatherings as a measure of controlling the spread of coronavirus. As of March 20, 2020,Ghana has recorded 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The Mass registration exercise began in the Eastern Region on March 4, 2020, and was scheduled to end March 27, 2020
Below is the full Statement by the NIA:
SUSPENSION OF MASS REGISTRATION EXERCISE IN THE EASTERN REGION
Pursuant to the service of an application for Interlocutory injunction restraining NIA from continuing with the mass registration exercise in the Eastern Region, all field officials are to take notice of, and adhere to, the following directives:
1. The Mass Registration Exercise currently underway in the Eastern Region has been suspended effective Saturday, 21. March 2020 pending the final determination of the application for interlocutory injunction.
2. All field officials are required to report for work and to render proper accounting of registration equipment materials and consumables in their custody to their Supervising Registration Officers (SR0s) with immediate effect.
3. All SROs are to hand over consumables and equipment under their care to their District Registration Officers (DR0s) who will confirm the inventory while awaiting further directives from the Head of Operations, Colonel Peter Kofi Ghansah (Rtd).
4. After accounting for registration materials under their control and/or Care all field officials are to return to their regular places of abode until further notice. Additional information will be communicated in this regard.
While away from registration centres, all field officials are entreated to strictly adhere to the prescribed protocols on preventing the contraction and spread of COvID-19.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
