NIA justifies $115m loan facility

The National Identification Authority (NIA) has justified its decision to go for a 115 million dollar Chinese loan facility.

The authority has come under public criticism recently for 'wasting' state funds in an exercise that was meant to issue Ghanaians with national identification cards.

Many have raised concerns about the need to contract a loan for the new ID cards.

But Chief Executive of the NIA Dr. Josiah Cobbah says public commentary on the loan facility is misleading.

He told a press conference in Accra Tuesday that many have skewed their commentary, portraying the Authority as only dealing in registering and issuing of ID cards.

Joy News' Kwakye Afreh Nuamah reported Dr. Cobbah's insistence on the need to have state agencies like the National Health Insurance Authority, Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority and Ghana Revenue Authority have their operations linked to the NIA data.

Though he would not put any figure to it, as the NIA is still in talks with the contractors, the NIA boss said part of the money would be used for the network exercise.

He also downplayed security concerns raised about a private company handling the national data, stating that all persons involved have gone through routine security checks.