High Court gives NIA go ahead for mass registration amid COVID-19 fears

High Court gives NIA go ahead for mass registration amid COVID-19 fears

An Accra High Court presided over by Justice Anthony Oppong has ruled that the National Identification Authority (NIA) is entitled to continue with its mass registration exercise.

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Some Ghanaians have questioned why the NIA will continue with the registration exercise regardless of the directive against public gathering by President Nana Akufo-Addo following the spread of coronavirus.

Two citizens Mark Oliver Kevor and Emmanuel Okrah filed a case in court asking that the NIA be stopped from carrying out its registration exercise.

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But Justice Anthony Oppong during his ruling on the matter, indicated that the applicants in the case have not shown any justifiable reason why the NIA should be restrained from carrying out its statutory duty as by law established.

The judge further noted that the applicants also did not demonstrate in any way what they stand to lose if the NIA continues with its work of registering Ghanaians for their Ghana Cards.

“The application for interlocutory injunction ought to fail and same is dismissed,” Justice Oppong ruled.

The Court in its ruling made reference to the address of the President of the Republic Nana Akufo-Addo to the nation on March 15, 2020, and observed that the President’s executive orders did not restrain public institutions from working.

The president, however, asked them to take precautionary measures and also take heed to social distancing protocols as they go about their work.

The judge, thus, ruled that the Court doesn’t see why it should restrain a state institution from doing its work because of a statement that does not in any way refer to them.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

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