The Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) has announced a stringent measure to delist public sector workers without Ghana Card numbers, freezing their salaries starting March 5, 2024.
He was speaking at a ceremony in Accra to announce the linking of NIA data to the CAGD payroll today.
According to the Controller and Accountant-General Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompen, this will ensure the elimination of ghost names from the government’s payroll.
Controller and Accountant General, Kwasi Kwaning Bosompem
“With the effect of March 24, this year, all employees without Ghana Card face the risk of being not paid on the governmentpayroll,” Mr Kwaning-Bosompen explained.
On the back of this, the CAGD boss urged staff and members to register for their Ghana Cards at any of the NIA offices nationwide.
He also clarified that the new modality “is just there to enhance all these controls and make it possible for us to have a credible database.”
For him, this “linkage between the nationalpayroll and NIA database has not come to replace existing payroll controls and protocols.”
The National Identification Authority (NIA) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) of Ghana have been in communication regarding a special registration exercise for government employees who have not registered for the Ghana Card. Following a meeting on October 11, 2023, where timelines were discussed, CAGD wrote to NIA seeking consent and agreement on the proposed registration timelines.
However, NIA responded, stating that they had communicated in advance about their inability to conduct a special registration exercise. Instead, they opened offices nationwide for general registration on September 4, including for targeted public sector employees on the government payroll.
In light of this, CAGD advises its staff and members to register at the 292 NIA offices nationwide for their Ghana Cards, emphasizing priority for government employees. Furthermore, it is announced that starting February 2024, government employees on the centralized payroll without NIA numbers will not receive salaries. Those yet to register are urged to take advantage of the December-January period for registration.
The communication is dated December 14, 2023,
Currently, all New Entrants must have the NIA Number and instead of a biometric data capture after recruitment, it is captured from their Ghana Card details.
Previous Release
The National Identification Authority (NIA) and the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) of Ghana have been in communication regarding a special registration exercise for government employees who have not registered for the Ghana Card. Following a meeting on October 11, 2023, where timelines were discussed, CAGD wrote to NIA seeking consent and agreement on the proposed registration timelines.
However, NIA responded, stating that they had communicated in advance about their inability to conduct a special registration exercise. Instead, they opened offices nationwide for general registration on September 4, including for targeted public sector employees on the government payroll.
In light of this, CAGD advises its staff and members to register at the 292 NIA offices nationwide for their Ghana Cards, emphasizing priority for government employees. Furthermore, it is announced that starting February 2024, government employees on the centralized payroll without NIA numbers will not receive salaries. Those yet to register are urged to take advantage of the December-January period for registration.
The communication is dated December 14, 2023,
Currently, all New Entrants must have the NIA Number and instead of a biometric data capture after recruitment, it is captured from their Ghana Card details.
The Letter Reads;
RE-RE: REQUEST FOR CONSENT AND AGREEMENT ON TIMELINES SET TO REGISTER GOVERNMENT OF GHANA EMPLOYEES ON THE PAYROLL WHO HAVE NOT YET REGISTERED FOR THE GHANA CARD
We refer to letter No: NIA-R/CAG/V1/424 dated 31st October 2023 from the National Identification Authority (NIA) on the above subject.
After our meeting held in the CAGD Block D conference room on 11th October 2023 where we discussed timelines for a special registration exercise for GoG workers without Ghana Card (NIA) numbers, it was agreed that CAGD communicate with NIA proposing these agreed timelines between CAGD on one hand, and the Institutions and Unions on the other hand, for special registration for GoG workers without NIA numbers and seeking their agreement on the timelines set for the registration exercise.
CAGD immediately acted on this agreement and therefore wrote to NIA on 11th October, 2023 requesting for consent and agreement on the proposed timelines for the registration exercise and their readiness to conduct the registration exercise within the proposed period.
National Identification Authority responded to our request stating that they had earlier communicated to CAGD and the general public in advance, via a press release and series of media interviews and postings indicating their inability to have the special registration exercise. They however stated that they had since the 4th of September opened offices nationwide for the registration of qualified Ghanaians aged 15 years and above, including the targeted public sector employees on the GoG payroll.
Office to Register
Based on the above, we, therefore, request that you advise your staff and members to take advantage of the ongoing general registration at all 292 NIA offices to register for their NIA cards (Ghana cards) since priority attention will be given to GoG employees at these centers.
No Salary from Feb. 2024
We would also like to bring to your attention that with effect from February 2024, payment of salaries will not be made to government employees on the centralized GoG payroll who do not have NIA numbers. All those yet to register are therefore advised to take advantage of the December – January period to get registered for
their NIA numbers.
Source:https://seekersnewsgh.com
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