The Minority in Parliament has downplayed suggestions that the decision by former President JJ Rawlings to register for the Ghana card weakens their opposition to the requirements for the card.

The Minority has maintained using passports and birth certs alone as proof of identity for acquisition of the card will de-nationalise many Ghanaians since scores in the rural areas of the country do not have either of the requirement. The minority has therefore refused to register for the cards and called on their members to also stay off.

However, Mr. Rawlings who is the founder of the NDC has registered for the card. The former military leader received his card on Tuesday when officials of the National Identification Authority went to his house to register him.

Speaking to Starr News’ Parliamentary correspondent Ibrahim Alhassan, deputy minority leader James Avedzi said the Minority is unmoved by the action of their founder.

“Former President Rawlings is not in parliament here representing anybody. He is a founder of a political party, so his actions cannot be said to be a slap in the face of the minority, you cannot conclude by that. And he has not said that the call by the minority is wrong,” he said.

Meanwhile, former President John Kufuor has backed calls by the Minority saying the Voter ID card must be added to the requirements for the Ghana card.

“Documents that will help identify a citizen as a citizen will be sovereign authority in him or her so if your voter ID is not incorporated…I think it should be added,” the former President noted when officials of the National Identification Authority went to his home to register him for the card on Tuesday.