Ex-convict in charge of national ID cards

Security at the head office of the National Identification Authority (NIA) in Accra has been seriously breached, as Today can categorically state that all the secured components that can be used to mould national identification cards have been put under the direct care and control of an ex-convict who was recently sentenced by an Accra Circuit Court.

The ex-convict, Mr. Peter Kokoi, alongside his accomplices, were sentenced by the court on their own guilty plea to stealing industrial photocopier machines of the NIA in November 2011.

Another aspect of their trial (criminal aspect) is still on-going. But in what many consider to be a strange move, the management of the NIA in January this year singled out Mr. Kokoi and recalled him from suspension, even though his conduct warranted outright dismissal or at best a demotion.

Even though the letter that recalled Mr. Kokoi from suspension stated in black and white that he was going to be reassigned, Today has discovered that the ex-convict has been reinstated to his previous position and promoted from Deputy Manager in charge of Card Production to Deputy Director responsible for Card Production.

That decision of the management of NIA, Today understands, is raising suspicion and also heightening concerns about the safety of the secured components used for the production of the national ID cards.

But earlier when this paper reached Dr. Ahadzie on a similar issue, he said: “I do not want to comment on NIA.”

Components such as blank cards and the hologram which is custom made for Ghana are in the care of the ex-convict.

The strong room where the components as well as already made ID cards awaiting distribution to their owners are also in Mr. Kokoi’s care.

Many staff members of the NIA are bewildered as to how their management could exercise its discretionary powers against the national interest.

Because in other jurisdictions persons with questionable character will not have access to security institutions let alone be employed to be in charge of national ID card production.

And to avoid persons with criminal records or criminal disposition being enlisted into institutions that handle very sensitive data, prospective employees are subjected to rigorous background security checks.

In the United States of America, for instance, Today gathered that even having bad credit report automatically disqualifies one from being employed in sensitive institutions including the security agencies.

In Ghana, even though thorough security check is supposed to be carried on all employees of security and quasi-security institutions, it appears some authorities do not bother to undertake this important exercise.

In the particular case of Mr. Kokoi, he as a management member and without regard to the NIA’s Code of Service stole an asset of the Authority and was sentenced on his own guilty plea.

How the executive secretary managed to re-instate Mr. Kokoi and in addition promoted him beats everyone’s imagination.

This is fast feeding into rumour at the NIA offices that Mr. Kokoi threatened he was going to ‘sing’ if he was not re-instated and name persons who in one way or other compromised themselves.

For the records, four photocopier machines got missing at the NIA but investigations by both the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the NIA failed to establish the whereabouts of one of the machines.

It is strongly believed that Mr. Kokoi knows who among the NIA management stole the missing photocopier and to keep him quiet, someone got his colleague management members to approve Mr. Kokoi’s recall.

The vulgarity with which Kokoi celebrated his return to post convinced staff members the more that, he could not have been acting alone and that he seemed to have the tacit approval of the management that purportedly recalled him from suspension to misbehave on his return.

It is on record that when he resumed work, Mr. Kokoi announced his ‘triumphant’ entry to the NIA offices dressed in all white apparel (signifying victory) and without shame, popped a bottle of Champagne in celebration of his reinstatement.

“Ghanaian culture and tradition celebrate good deed but discourage and punish bad deed. How can a self-confessed thief sentenced by a court of competent jurisdiction pop champagne at the security zone of the office if he did not have the backing of our management?” a bemused NIA staff who prayed to remain silent in name, said in apparent disappointment to the spectacle of Kokoi’s celebration.

The manner in which the executive secretary handled this case raises legitimate concerns about his morals and competence.

Today is reliably informed that the return and subsequent elevation of the ex-convict did not have the approval of the governing board of the NIA.

This paper also learnt that the executive secretary has on several occasions flouted directives and decisions of the governing board.

Today is aware that the governing board directed the executive secretary to have security check on all NIA staff but till date this directive is yet to be carried out. “His penchant for disregarding directives coupled with his arbitrariness and capricious use of power is gradually bringing the NIA to its knees,” a staff of NIA who spoke on condition of anonymity told this paper.

Today gathered that in his usual arbitrariness, the executive secretary recently reassigned the acting Director of Administration and Human Resource, Mr. Prince Martin Peprah, and made him the Director in charge of Human Resources.

In Mr. Peprah’s stead, the executive secretary brought in one Alhaji Rexford Sumani to take over as the Director of Administration.

The appointment and creation of a new directorate separating Human Resource from Administration is an illegality because per the NIA’s organogram, no such portfolio exists as Human Resources Director.

The organogram which was approved by the Governing Board and the Public Services Commission among others, has the position of Director of Human Resources and Administration directly in charge of administration and Human Resources.

It did approve separate portfolios for Human Resources and Administrations. This latest decision, Today has learnt, did not also have the blessing of the Board.**