Omanghana
Six staff members of the National Identification Authority (NIA) have been arrested and seven others dismissed following allegations of extortion during a free Ghana Card registration exercise for children.
The incident occurred at the Galaka registration center in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region, where officials allegedly demanded payments from parents before registering children aged six to 14.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, the NIA said its action followed complaints from affected parents.
According to the authority, parents identified six staff members allegedly involved in demanding the unauthorized payments. The Bawku West District Police subsequently arrested the officers, who are assisting with criminal investigations.
An internal review also found that seven other members of the registration team knew about the alleged extortion but failed to report it. The NIA said their appointments had been terminated with immediate effect.
The authority reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and extortion, stressing that the children’s registration exercise was free and that parents should not have been charged to access the service.
The arrests remain part of an ongoing investigation, and the allegations against the six staff members have not been established in court.
Source: Omanghana
