The National Identification Authority (NIA) has warned its registration officers to desist from taking money from applicants. The NIA said registration officers risk being prosecuted if they are found extorting money from people. Officials of the NIA say they have complaints some officers demand money before they register applicants. The authority says this is completely illegal and that it is doing all it can to weed out such officers. A statement issued by the NIA in Accra condemned the act and appealed to the general public to report officers engaged in the act to the police. In a later interview with Joy News, Public Relations Officer at the NIA, Bertha Dzeble, said the authority is intent on weeding out corruption out of what is supposed to be a healthy national exercise. Mrs Dzeble said earlier reports of illegal registration procedures have been dealt with and urged the cooperation of the public to ensure that the programme rolls out smoothly. The national identification registration exercise, which was started in …., has suffered some setbacks resulting in intermittent postponement of several regional batches of the exercises. Meanwhile the NIA has begun the second phase of registration in the Greater Accra Region. The ten-day exercise is expected to complete registration in the region under the system. Source: Joy News/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana