The Asokore Mampong District Magistrate court has sentenced Usman Emmanuel a Nigerian citizen and a resident of Sawaba, Kumasi, for falsely representing himself as a Ghanaian to acquire a Ghana Card contrary to law.

Carrying a Ghanaian Birth Certificate, Usman Emmanuel claimed he was a Ghanaian, hence eligible to register for the Ghana Card. Having gone through the registration process, Usman Emmanuel was left to be issued with the Ghana Card. It was at this point the Regional Registration Officer (RRO) of NIA in the Ashanti Region suspected the applicant was not a Ghanaian. The RRO quickly handed him over to the Police CID at Adum, Kumasi, for further investigation. The investigation established that despite being in possession of a valid Ghanaian Birth Certificate, Usman Emmanuel was not a Ghanaian.

The suspect was arraigned before the Asokore Mampong District Magistrate Court and was charged with the offence of falsely providing information about himself contrary to section 17 (C) of the National Identification Authority Act 707 (Act 2006).
At the end of the trial, the court found him guilty of the offence and was sentenced to a fine of 250 penalty units, equivalent to GHC 3,000.00 or in default 6 months imprisonment.

The NIA wishes to commend Detective Chief Inspector Abu Hassan Dauda of the Ashanti Regional CID and the Ghana Police Service for the swift and efficient manner the offence was investigated and prosecuted.

NIA reiterates that any foreign national, legally resident in Ghana, and with a valid resident permit can register for the Non-Citizen Card which is issued at various designated centres across the country including the NIA Headquarters.
NIA also wishes to caution that any foreigner who tries to register for the Ghana Card (Card meant for citizens only) shall be arrested and duly prosecuted.

End.
SIGNED
ABUDU ABDUL-GANIYU
AG HEAD, CORPORATE AFFAIRS