The National Identification Authority (NIA) has so far issued 9,050,346 Ghana cards to qualified Ghanaians out of 11,034,174 printed cards since the mass registration exercise started on April 29, 2019.

The Authority is expected to issue about 16.7 million cards to qualified Ghanaians by the end of the mass registration and mop-up exercises in all the 16 regions by September 4, this year.

The Executive Secretary of the NIA, Prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah announced this at a media briefing in Accra on Wednesday.

Giving an update on the NIA's Card Issuance blitz, which started on Wednesday, June 10, Prof. Attafuah said the Authority had issued 1,950,245 cards out of 3,934, 073 cards planned for distribution in 5,635 distribution centres.

He said the card distribution exercise would continue tomorrow, June 18, and afterwards the authority will determine whether the exercise would continue or otherwise.

He urged all those who have not gone for their Ghana cards to do so whilst observing anti-Covid-19 safety protocols.

Meanwhile, the NIA has announced that the mass registration for the Ghana card in the Eastern Region, which was truncated on March 21, 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, would continue from tomorrow, June 18 to June 27 in 33 districts.

The NIA would concurrently commence mop-up exercise for the issuance of the Ghana card in the Upper West and Upper East regions from tomorrow June 18 to July 3, 2020.

The nationwide exercise would continue to the Northern, North East and Savannah regions from July 10 to July 24, Central, Western and Western North regions from July 4 to July 23, Volta and Oti from July 30 to August 9 and Ashanti Region from July 30 to August 13.

Greater Accra Region would have its turn for the mop-up exercise from August 16 to August 29, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions from August 20 to September 4, 2020.

Prof. Attafuah revealed that more than 32,000 individuals attempted to perform double registration for Ghana card, therefore the NIA's governing board would investigate and decide on what action to take against the miscreants at the end of the registration process.

He said additionally, 525 incidents of multiple Ghana cards were printed and issued, therefore the Authority said it would invite those with multiple cards to indicate the eligible ones they will use for their official transactions.

Consequently, some 250 persons had their registration for Ghana cards challenged, and currently being adjudicated by special adjudication committees.

Prof. Agyemang Attafuah said anyone who intends to visit the NIA's registration centre to wear face masks, observe social distancing directives and use the hand washing facilities provided.

He said temperatures of prospective individuals would be checked with thermometer guns at the registration centres.

The NIA Boss said it had provided the requisite Personal Protective Equipment and facilities to the registration officials to ensure a smooth exercise.