Prof Ken Attafuah, NIA boss

The National Identification Authority (NIA) has justified its decision to carry out the Ghana Card registration exercise in the Eastern region despite a directive by the President to ban public gatherings.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, in a nation’s address on Sunday, called for the suspension of public gatherings including closure of schools over the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.

But, the agency believes it has not violated the directive because the State of Ghana is not in a lock-down, and the business of the government is not expected to cease.

The agency, in a statement through its Facebook page, said officials are observing all the basic precautionary measures and do not find any problem with the exercise which has been condemned by the Ghana Medical Association and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice.

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“The conduct does not violate the President’s directives on public gatherings in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“On the contrary, the NIA’s decision is harmonious with both the letter and spirit of the equally compelling directive of His Excellency the President, that businesses and other workplaces can continue to operate, but should observe prescribed social distancing between patrons and staff,” it said.

It stressed all NIA field staff are being supplied with the requisite Personal Protection Equipment such as hand sanitisers and gloves, Veronica buckets, water bowls, liquid soap and hand towels at each registration centre.

Meanwhile, the NIA is currently facing a law suit over its refusal to comply with the directives on public gatherings.