The National Identification Authority (NIA) has terminated the employment of 10 staff members following an investigation into allegations of misconduct, including extorting funds from Ghana Card applicants and violating NCA’s Standard Operating Procedures and relevant public service rules in their roles as public officials in charge of registration activities.
The decision to dismiss these employees was made after a comprehensive inquiry conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, based at the NIA’s headquarters in Accra. The process involved suspending the accused staff members, forming a Disciplinary Committee of Inquiry to offer a fair hearing for each individual as per legal procedures, and subsequently receiving approval from management based on the Disciplinary Committee’s recommendations.
The allegations against these individuals ranged from soliciting and accepting unauthorized fees from Ghana Card applicants to manipulating the registration system for personal benefit.
These unethical actions occurred at various NIA offices, including the Head Office, Subin Sub-Metro District Office, Western Regional Office, Registrar General’s Department Office, and La – Nkwantanang Municipal Office.
Such behavior not only violated the core principles of honesty and openness upheld by the NIA but also undermined its core mission, which revolves around ensuring reliability and credibility.
During recent visits to the NIA’s 16 Regional Offices across the country, Prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, the Executive Secretary of the NIA, reiterated the organization’s commitment to maintaining the highest levels of professionalism, accountability, and ethical behavior.
The dismissal of the employees sends a clear message that while NIA staff members’ human rights will be respected, swift and decisive legal actions will be taken to uphold the law, fostering the development of a robust, principled, adaptable, and professional national institution dedicated to forging a nation of which citizens can genuinely take pride.
The Executive Secretary has pledged to introduce additional measures to prevent such misconduct in the future. These measures encompass reinforcing internal oversight mechanisms, offering regular integrity training for employees, and establishing a platform for citizens to report any instances of misconduct or anomalies they may encounter while engaging with the NIA.
The NIA remains unwavering in its commitment to fulfill its mandate of delivering trustworthy, credible, and transparent identification services to citizens while adhering to the highest benchmarks of professionalism and ethical conduct.
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