The National Identification Authority (NIA) says it will not rush its ongoing Ghana Card registration to meet the Electoral Commission’s target in compiling new voters register.

Head of Corporate Affairs at the authority, ACI Francis Palmdeti said the NIA will move according to its year-long timetable.

Speaking to Emefa Apawu on ‘Beyond The Lockdown’ on JoyNews on Sunday, he described the Ghana Card registration and the new voters’ registration exercise as a mere coincidence.

“We have a plan and will be following it. We are not rushing to meet the EC’s targets. EC is a separate institution from NIA. Our programme runs throughout the entire year and is to ensure Ghanaians get the Ghana Card” he indicated.

We have our own timetable and we are moving with it. It just so happens that it coincides with the EC’s activities.

Mr Palmdeti also said the NIA’s motivation is to ensure all Ghanaians get their Ghana Card to be able to access about 17 mandatory services apart from being enrolled onto the voters roll.

Recently, Parliament passed EC’s Constitutional Instrument (C.I. 126) which makes Ghana Cards and Passports the only breeder documents a Ghanaian can use in getting onto the new electoral roll.

The Minority believes the C.I. will disenfranchise many Ghanaians who do not have either document to be registered onto the new voters roll.

The Electoral Commission has scheduled the registration of eligible voters starting June 30 but Mr. Palmdeti revealed not all Ghanaians will be able to have their Ghana Card.

Already, the NIA has commenced the distribution of 3,875,441 printed Ghana Cards to applicants in 5,635 registration centres.

The exercise, it said, would enable 11,062,850 Ghanaians to use their cards to vouch for their relatives or other Ghanaians who wished to register during the nationwide mop-up registration exercise, beginning from June 18 to mid-September.