NDC gov’t did not sign $1.2bn NIA contract, deal with your incompetence – Ahadzie

A former CEO of the National Identification Authority (NIA), has dismissed claims by members of the governing party that the previous regime left the organisation reeling under a huge debt.

Dr William Ahadzie told Raymond Acquah on JoyNews’ Current Affairs Program UPFRONT Thursday that the Mahama administration never signed a contract which crippled the Authority.

“National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not sign $1.2 billion for the delivery of Ghana Cards,” he said.

Dr William Ahadzie

His comments are in reaction to claims by Director of the Danquah Institute, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko that officials of Authority have a good story to defend itself with but has remained mute. It is ‘mightily frustrating’ he suggested.

In a Facebook post, the politician who insisted that NIA had a good case, charged the Authority to explain the situation of the debt it inherited from the previous administration.

“You are being bashed left, right and centre over a $1.2bn contract for the ID cards. My reliable information is that the NPP inherited an NDC contract which lawyers advised that to get out of it would lead to judgment debt.



“So, the contract was renegotiated and significantly improved. What is stopping the NIA from putting out these facts! It gets so annoying. You cannot be incompetent in stating your case when you have a good case. I’m getting really frustrated!” the publisher of Statesman newspaper said.

​Related: Ghana Card issuance no-show; Attafuah apologises for technical glitch

But Dr Ahadzie said the claims of incompetence was unfair.

He admonished the Akufo-Addo government to fix its challenges with the Authority and leave the past administration out of its problems.

Even though millions of cedis have been spent so far, the process to register and issue have been delayed due to interconnectivity related issue.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia promised that the NIA will finally issue the Ghana Cards by the end of May 2018 after other deadlines were not met.

The Authority was expected to issue the cards on Monday, May 28, but after hours of waiting, that did not happen.

It is not clear yet when the NIA will begin the process of registration and issuance.

Source:Myjoyonline