Ghana’s National Identification Authority Halts Services to Revenue Authority Over Huge Debt
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has taken decisive action by disconnecting the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) from its Identity Verification Service (IVS) platform due to an outstanding debt of over GHC 376 million. This drastic step, which took effect on August 5th, comes after numerous attempts by the NIA to recover the funds or secure a payment plan from the GRA.
Disconnection Disrupts Key Services
The NIA’s IVS platform is a crucial resource for real-time identity verification using the Ghana Card, serving as a backbone for various services across both the public and private sectors. The disconnection of the GRA is expected to cause disruptions for entities reliant on the IVS platform for identity authentication, potentially impacting operations at organizations like the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Lands Commission, and various fintech companies. According to Williams Ampomah Darlas, Head of Corporate Affairs at the NIA, the organization has made extensive efforts to resolve the issue. “We have written to them countless times… even escalated it to Parliament,” Darlas stated. “We gave them our last notice on July 29. We didn’t hear from them, so effective August 5, we blocked them.” He further indicated that several other institutions are up to date on their payments, including ECG, the Lands Commission and Hubtel.
The NIA’s decision highlights the critical importance of timely payments for essential services and the potential consequences when government agencies fail to meet their financial obligations. The disruption caused by this disconnection underscores the reliance of Ghana’s digital infrastructure on the IVS platform and the need for a swift resolution to restore seamless operations across various sectors.
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