The National Identification Authority (NIA) has dismissed 10 staff members following investigations into allegations of misconduct, extortion of funds from Ghana Card applicants, and violations of NIA’s Standard Operating Procedures.

The decision by management to dismiss the officers followed thorough investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, stationed at NIA’s headquarters in Accra.

This included the interdiction of the affected officers, the appointment of a Disciplinary Committee of Inquiry to provide a hearing for each officer in accordance with the law, and subsequent management acceptance of the Disciplinary Committee's recommendations.

The allegations against the dismissed officers included demanding and accepting unauthorized fees from Ghana Card applicants, as well as manipulating the registration system for personal gain.

These corrupt activities took place at NIA’s Head Office, Subin Sub-Metro District Office in the Ashanti Region, Western Regional Office, Registrar General’s Department Office, and La-Nkwantanang Municipal Office, all in the Greater Accra Region.

Their actions, according to a statement released from the Corporate Affairs Directorate, dated August 15, 2023, not only contravened the fundamental principles of integrity and transparency upheld by the NIA but also eroded the very essence of its purpose, which is to ensure dependability and credibility.

During a recent round of visits to NIA’s 16 Regional Offices nationwide, the Executive Secretary of the NIA, Prof Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, expressed NIA’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, accountability, and ethical conduct.

The dismissal of the officers serves as a strong signal that respect for the fundamental human rights of NIA staff will go hand in hand with the swift and certain application of the law, aiming to establish a strong, ethical, agile, and professional national institution committed to building a country of which citizens can be truly proud.

The Executive Secretary pledged to implement additional measures to prevent such misconduct from occurring in the future. This includes enhancing internal oversight mechanisms, conducting regular integrity training for staff, and establishing a channel for citizens to report any instances of misconduct or irregularities they may encounter during their interactions with the NIA.

The NIA remains dedicated to fulfilling its mandate of providing reliable, credible, and transparent identification services to citizens while adhering to the highest standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.