The National Identification Authority has shut down all its special registration centres due to a drastic decline in the number of new registrations for the National ID card, the Ghana Card.

The NIA opened the new centres in February to cater for the huge demand for the Ghana card following the SIM card re-registration exercise.

Speaking to Citi News, the Acting Head of the Corporate Affairs of the Authority, Abudu Abdul Ganiyu, said they have been forced to take the decision because of the low registration numbers being recorded.

“We have been monitoring the registration and the fears were appalling, hence we had to create the special registration centres. But we realized that demand has reduced and considering the fact that we have 276 district offices and 16 regional offices, then there is no need for keeping the special offices. Ghanaians are however reminded to take advantage of the offices to meet the deadlines.”

The rollout of a mass registration and issuance of the Ghana Card has been marred by chaos and long queues across the country.

The re-registration of SIM cards was scheduled to end on March 31, 2022, but after calls from the Communications Committee of Parliament that the date be extended immediately after a stampede occurred a few days before the initial deadline, it was extended to July 2022.