Accra, March 2, GNA - Workers of Mobile Registration Workstation (MRW), under the National Identification Authority (NIA) on Monday staged a demonstration to demand payment of their allowances, which have been in arrears for four months. The all-inclusive allowances, which include medical care and social security, cover November 2008 to February this year. According to Mr Michael Afenu, Chairman of the group, the NIA owed each of the 1,500 workers 450 Ghana cedis for the four months.

The demonstration, which started from Kwame Nkrumah Circle, ended at the Ministry of Finance because the organisers said NIA had stated categorically that approved allowances were at the Ministry. Some of the placards by the demonstrators read, "NIA please where is our Ex-Gratia", "We need cash", "We want our In-Gratia", "Prez Mills Do Something" and "We want our money for survival".

Mr Afenu said all petitions by the group to authorities of NIA to have their allowances paid had been unsuccessful until February 5, this year, when they received a letter which stated that government had approved payment of the allowances. He explained that they decided to stage the demonstration when a petition to the Ministry did not receive attention.

Nana Juaben-Boaten Siriboe, Chief Director of the Ministry, who received a petition from executives of the group on behalf of the Minister, confirmed that the Chief of Staff had directed that they should be paid and assured them that the Minister had directed that action should be taken on the matter. He said funds would be sought to pay them by next week, adding that it was important for government and the NIA to dialogue on the sustainability of the project and provide the necessary funding.

Nana Siriboe said the NIA project required GH¢18,677,235 and if government decided to continue, then funds would have to be made available otherwise the project though laudable would have to be postponed. Some of the protestors told GNA that they went to the various regions to work but logistics were not available.