The National Identification Authority (NIA) has described as fake news information circulating on social media that three of its staff have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Eastern Region.
A statement issued Monday, April 13, 2020, and signed by the Head of Corporate Affairs ACI Francis Palmdeti explained that “the attention of the National Identification Authority (NIA) has been drawn to a FAKE NEWS circulating on social media that three (3) NIA officials in the Eastern Region have tested positive to COVID-19, with JoyNews credited as the source. NIA checks with JoyNews (Multimedia Group) indicate that the story is not authentic and has not been reported by any outlet of the multimedia group”
According to the NIA “the facts regarding COVID-19 cases in the Eastern Region as of Monday 13th April 2020 are as follows: A total of 32 persons have tested positive to COVID-19 in the Eastern Region. Out of the 32 cases, 31 are Indian nationals working for AFCON, an Indian railway company. All 31 Indians reside at the company’s camp at Kpong in the Eastern Region”
“The one (1) another person who has tested positive is a Ghanaian citizen living at Begoro in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region. This person is a local farmer and has no connection to the NIA as a staff, a registration official or any other capacity whatsoever.
Any claim contrary to any of the above statements is false and must be disregarded”.
The NIA came under pressure for defying President Akufo Addo’s directive suspending social gathering as a measure to contain the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in the country, by going ahead to embark on its mass registration exercise for Ghana Card. It took some individuals to injunct the exercise which the court later ruled against the plaintiffs and gave green light to the NIA to continue the exercise.
However, the NIA decided not to continue the exercise until the coronavirus pandemic is contained.
The Eastern Regional Secretariat of the of the Opposition National Democratic Congressional Saturday issued a statement asserting that “failure by president Akufo-Addo to advise his appointee, Ken Attafuah to suspend the exercise has yielded a scary result in the Eastern Region making life uncomfortable for dwellers in the Lower Manya and surrounding Districts”
The party alleged that “a number of the railway workers in Belokope Quarters who have been infected by the disease were spotted at New Covenant Apostle Church, a registration center of the Ahodwo Electoral Area in the Lower Manya District. There is also the suspicion and possibility that some moved to the nearby registration centers such as E. P. Kpong Church and Kpong Presby Centres.
After the news broke whilst they were supposed to be on self-quarantine, a number of them were seen frolicking with their girlfriends in beer bars and pubs in the district raising a suspicion that they might have spread the disease through numerous chains of contacts.”
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
