Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2024 election, John Dramani Mahama, is advocating for stakeholders in the electoral process to be granted access to monitor the operations of the National Identification Authority (NIA).

He asserts that this measure would establish effective checks and balances, crucial for preventing fraud and exploitation of the system, especially amid discussions proposing the Ghana Card as the sole identification document for general elections.

Mr. Mahama conveyed this stance during a workshop for the minority caucus in parliament held at the Volta Serene Hotel in Ho, the capital of the Volta Region.

"We demand that the process must necessarily include a system that enables all political parties and relevant stakeholders to possess the capacity to monitor to avoid fraud and exploitation to the undue advantage of any of the political stakeholders," he said.

He reiterated the NDC's opposition to the proposed utilization of the Ghana Card in the forthcoming general election, citing concerns that the National Identification Authority (NIA) is not adequately prepared to handle such a significant responsibility.

The former president elucidated that the Authority has not completed the registration of all eligible individuals, and furthermore, a considerable number of the cards issued have not been distributed to applicants nationwide.

“The Ghana card is a relatively new feature of our national life and its merit in the scheme of things. At the moment, it is being blemished more as a political tool around in all manners fashioned towards elections."

"There is a need to allow sufficient time for its full integration into our way of life before this kind of doubtful excuses of all other legitimately acquired credible and time-tested forms of identification are implemented."

"Until full and nearly total coverage is achieved in the rollout of the Ghana Card, room must be made for those who are yet to be served to exercise their democratic right of voting. They cannot be excused from the voter's register due to no fault of theirs”, Mr Mahama argued.