Minority Wants Forensic Audit Into NIA’s $1.2bn Ghana Card Budget
The Minority in Parliament has called for a probe into the financial activities of the National Identification Authority (NIA) after various concerns were raised over the $1.2 billion allocated to the authority last year.
According to Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, a probe is required to enhance transparency to inquire what the funds were used for since it is a national budget.
“It has been reported that the National Identification Card would cost the state 1.2 million dollars. Where is the NIA getting its funds from? That would mean that for a country with a population of 30 million; it would cost 42 dollars per person to do an ID card. India with its population did not do an ID card for even 20 million dollars. We are calling for a forensic audit into the operations of the NIA and its finances” he added.
He also emphasized the need to find out whether the money used was a loan or a public-private partnership and how much the ID card would cost both the state and the ordinary taxpayer.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nnkketia urged Ghanaians to rise and demand answers relating to value for money.
“The NDC is also alarmed at the cost of $1.2 billion that this project will cost the people of Ghana as it is not in consonance with President Akuffo-Addo’s often touted mantra of ‘Protecting The Public Purse’ and we are calling on all well-meaning Ghanaians to demand answers relating to issues bordering on value for money” the statement added.
