Public workers call for decentralization of biometric registration
Some employees of government and sub-vented employees as well as Cap 30 pensioners on Thursday appealed to the Ministry of Finance to consider opening up biometric registration offices in the regions.
They have also suggested to the government, as an interim measure, to augment the number of computers and workers at the only registration centre located in the Ministry of Finance.
They said these measures would lessen tension and corruption at the centre and relieve workers of nuisance and risk of having to travel to Accra to register.
The workers made this known to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday during a visit to ascertain progress of work at the registration centre.
Officials were busily taking employees through the registration process, inspecting pay slips, introductory letters, birth certificates, national identity cards, staff identification numbers and Social Security and National Insurance numbers.
Madam Nana Yaa Adobea, a teacher, told the Ghana News Agency she came from Kukuom in the Brong-Ahafo Region the previous day with her colleagues numbering 50 in a Yutung bus to go through the process.
“I wonder why the Ministry cannot open up some offices in the regions so that people will avoid the risk and high expenditure associated with travelling all the way to Accra,” Madam Adobea said.
She said some people had problems with their introductory letters, staff identity cards and other documents and would have to go back and come later to go through the process.
Mr Salifu Sulemana, a worker at the Lands Commission at Bolgatanga, said the process was creating an avenue for some registration officers to demand money from people before registering them.
“My brother the whole idea of biometric registration is good but the process is flawed, government has to step in…lets increase the computers, increase the people who handle the computers or open regional offices … to stop this extortions and other problems we are going through,” he said.
When GNA got to the centre at about 1000 hours, over 150 public workers and pensioners from Wa, Bolgatanga, Tamale, Goaso, Kukuom, Sefwi Wiawso and Akontombra were in a queen hoping to register and among them were prenant women and nursing mothers in the winding queue.
Source: GNA