Minority calls for forensic audit into NIA’s $1.2bn Ghana card budget

The Minority in Parliament has demanded a forensic audit into the activities and finances of the National Identification Authority (NIA).

According to the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, the rolling out of the National Identification Card which cost about $1.2 billion has an air of impropriety around it.

He contended that a probe is required to enhance transparency to find out what the funds were used for since it is a national project.

“It has been reported that the National Identification Card would cost the state 1.2 billion dollars. Where is the NIA getting its finance 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 said.

He also stated that there was a need to find out whether the money used was a loan or a public-private partnership and how much the ID card would cost the state and taxpayer.

In May last year, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) raised concerns over the supposed $1.2 billion allocated for the national identification project.

According to the opposition, the amount was alarming and in contradiction of President Akufo-Addo’s mantra of “protecting the public purse.”

A statement from the NDC’s Functional Executive Committee (FEC) and signed by NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia urged Ghanaians to rise and demand answers with regards 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 Akufo-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.