Vice Chairman of the Committee on Public Administration and State Interests, Sammi Awuku, is urging the government to take immediate action concerning what he views as a looming national crisis involving the National Identification Authority (NIA) and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
Awuku’s remarks come in light of a major disruption that left numerous importers and taxpayers in a difficult situation at the GRA’s tax gate.
On August 5, 2025, the NIA revoked GRA’s access to its identity verification platform due to an outstanding debt of GHC 376 million.
In a Facebook post, Awuku labelled the situation a wake-up call, warning that the implications extend far beyond a mere financial disagreement.
“This is not just about money. If NIA’s systems are compromised, we are all at risk from identity theft to institutional collapse. That’s not a hypothetical threat. It’s real and growing,” he said.
Awuku further pointed out that, in addition to GRA’s substantial debt, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) also owes the NIA over USD 50 million, exacerbating the Authority’s financial strain.
Such debts have hindered the NIA’s capacity to enhance its systems or enforce vital cybersecurity measures, jeopardising the personal information of over 32 million Ghanaians.
Despite several efforts by the NIA to amicably resolve the situation, Awuku noted GRA’s lack of response, forcing the NIA to restrict access.
He expressed alarm over the inadequate capital investment in the NIA, highlighting that the agency was allocated only GHC 21 million in the 2025 budget for capital expenditure, significantly lower than the GHC 78 million that was requested.
“This is woefully inadequate for the agency responsible for managing the entire identity framework of the country,” he lamented.
Awuku is calling on the Ministry of Finance and the government to take decisive action before the situation deteriorates further.
“We can’t keep postponing the resourcing of essential state institutions and only act when disaster strikes. Ghanaians deserve better, as the government promised. Institutions that protect our identity must be protected themselves,” he noted.
He ended by saying that this issue transcends data infrastructure; it’s foundational to national trust, good governance, and the overall stability of the nation.
