Court to hear case against NIA’s Ghana card Registration

An Accra High Court would on Friday, March 27 commence hearing of an application of injunction filed against the National Identification Authority (NIA) over its registration exercise in the Eastern Region.

Meanwhile, the court has granted the State an abridgement of time in relation to the application.

Originally the substantive was to be heard on April 9, this year but following the grant of the abridgement of time, hearing of the interim injunction would commence tomorrow.

The court presided over by Justice Anthony Oppong in granting the application for abridgement was to expedite the action because the matter boarded on human rights.

It, therefore, directed counsels to be prepared to move their applications and affidavits in opposition on Friday, March 27.

Two persons through their lawyers had filed an injunction application arguing that the registration exercise by the NIA was in breach of the President’s directives and a violation of their fundamental human rights.

Mr. Godfred Dame Yeboah, the Deputy Attorney General contended that the NIA had not violated the President’s ban on public gathering.

He held that the functions of the NIA were part of the class of services, businesses and workplaces excluded by the ban imposed by the President’s directive, noting that applicants have no cause of action in respect of which an order of interlocutory injunction ought to be dismissed.

On March 23, this year another High Court in Accra placed a 10-day interim injunction on mass registration in the Eastern Region.

Thirty persons also secured a 10-day injunction against the NIA.

Mr. Kevor Mark-Oliver and Emmanuel Akumatey sued the NIA on the grounds that the continuous registration and issuance of the Ghana card in the Eastern Region had the tendency of spreading the COVID-19 pandemics in the country.

The NIA in a press statement had earlier on suspended the registration in the Eastern Region.