Accra: Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) in the Volta Region have appealed to the National Identification Authority (NIA) to extend its ongoing Ghana Card registration exercise for children in the region. The NIA, on May 5, 2026, commenced the registration of children aged six to 14 years in schools across the region.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Jerry Yao Ameko, Dean of the MDCEs in the region, made the appeal on behalf of his colleagues at a press conference organized in Ho on Wednesday. He highlighted that many school children have yet to be registered, although the exercise is intended to ensure that all children within the target group obtain the Ghana Card.
Mr. Ameko, who is also the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Adaklu, noted that operational challenges encountered by the NIA during the exercise made it impossible for the Authority to achieve full coverage before the official closing date. He identified poor network connectivity, technical difficulties, and adverse weather conditions as some of the challenges that hindered the registration process.
He further explained that the 21 days allocated for the exercise in the region were inadequate, considering the large number of schools and children to be covered. In some districts, registration teams could not cover the majority of schools. For instance, in the Adaklu District, out of the 48 schools, less than 40 were covered, leaving many children unregistered.
Mr. Ameko stressed that the situation was even more concerning in districts and municipalities with larger school populations, as many communities had not yet been reached. He emphasized the importance of extending the registration exercise to avoid unfair treatment of children in such communities.
Mr. Innocent Dodzi Mornyuie, the Central Tongu DCE, elaborated on the difficulties faced by many school children living in remote communities far from district capitals, making it challenging for them to travel to registration centers. He reiterated the need for the exercise to be extended 'as a matter of national importance' to ensure every eligible child is registered.
Mr. Mornyuie also advised the NIA to deploy mobile registration vans to remote communities to ensure that all children are included in the exercise.