The Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has highlighted the substantial role played by the former John Mahama administration in the establishment of the Ghana Card system.

Gyamfi contends that the NDC government initiated the implementation of the Ghana Card as early as 2016, asserting that the NPP government merely continued the system developed by its predecessor.

He asserted that in 2016, the Mahama administration gathered biometric and demographic data for approximately 16 million Ghanaians, processing around 4.7 million cards. Gyamfi, in response to Dr. Bawumia's recent address to the nation, claimed that the Mahama administration distributed about 900,000 cards before leaving office in 2016.

Gyamfi criticized Dr. Bawumia for allegedly overlooking the significant contributions of the NDC/Mahama administration to the development of the Ghana Card system.

He emphasized that, by 2016, the NDC/Mahama government had passed a law designating the Ghana Card as the sole document for identification purposes in any transaction (L.I 2111).

He argued that the government merely continued the implementation of a system initiated by the NDC/Mahama government, acknowledging the contributions of successive administrations, including that of former President J.A Kufuor and former President J.E Atta-Mills. Gyamfi noted that Dr. Bawumia did not credit President Akufo-Addo in his address.

Read below portions of Sammy Gyamfi’s speaking notes on Dr Bawumia’s address to the nation

THE GHANA CARD LIE

*Dr. Bawumia deliberately ignored the significant contributions of the NDC/Mahama administration in developing the GhanaCard system to what it is today.

It is important to note, that by 2016, the NDC/Mahama administration had:

Passed the law that makes the Ghana Card the sole document for identification purposes for any transaction (L.I 2111)

Collected biometric and demographic data on about 16 million Ghanaians

iii. Processed about 4.7 million cards

Distributed about 900,000 cards

Procured 9 million blank cards

Upon assumption of office in 2017, Dr. Bawumia constituted a three-man committee headed by Prof. Ken Attafuah, to review the contract and implementation of the Ghana Card system.

The committee established the facts enumerated above which is contained on page 1 of the report and recommended the use of the existing database to continue from where the NDC left off.

Indeed, the NIA boss Prof. Ken Attafuah told Parliament that the contract that was signed by the NDC/Mahama administration with the Margins Group, is the same contract that is being implemented today.

Clearly, this government only came to continue the implementation of a system that had already been developed by the NDC/Mahama government, as a continuation of what was started under President Kuffour and continued by President Mills of blessed memory.

The Ghana card credit must therefore be shared by all successive governments who have contributed to where we are today. Note that Bawumia does not even credit his boss, Akufo-Addo…