It is a sad historical reality, indeed an undeniable truth that the northern regions in Ghana have always been a second thought to policy makers in Accra. And this “unofficial” policy has its genesis in the colonial era when the British designated the north as a source of cheap labor.
It therefore goes without saying that much of the economic and financial paralysis and the acute absence of critical development in the regions can be attributed to unfair distribution of national resources made worst by the condescending attitude of government officials.
In the larger scheme of things, the northern regions and its millions of inhabitants are non-factors to the starched bureaucrats in Accra. Whether it is in education, health, infrastructure or jobs, the northern regions have always suffered indignities and humiliation at the hands of biased government officials in the nation’s capital.
Be that as it may, it wasn’t in the least surprising to many in the north when the National Identification Authority dragged its feet with regards to registering residents and issuing identification cards in Tamale, Damongo and Nalerigu.
Yes, while it refreshing to see the Authority finally start the registration exercise in the north a mere three days ago, the reasons it trotted out to rationalize its lack of initial action are ridiculous.
In fact, it’s abject failure to begin the registration exercise in the north at the same time it embarked on the same project in the south speaks volumes about how differently it views the two geographical areas.
What is more, the NIA’s inaction at the appropriate time once again demonstrates the downright condescending and disdainful attitude of government officials when it comes to doing the right thing —- implementing policy beneficial to the northern regions.
To claim as the Authority did that it faced logistical challenges, that is to say, it did not have the resources to move its personnel and equipment to the north was preposterous and a bald-faced lie. The Authority was blatantly lying through its teeth, its apology notwithstanding.
The fact remains that the Authority is in possession of vast resources to enable it to move equipment and workers to any part of the country as smoothly as it possibly can.
This is simply because the ruling NPP has made sure that the Authority is resourced for the primary reason that the registration exercise is such a huge and critical national undertaking that the government cannot afford to fail or else it risks incurring the wrath of Ghanaians who are already fuming because of the hard economic times they are going through.
Indeed, all the Authority had to do was to move its material resources to the northern regions long before it commenced the registration exercise. It’s failure to do that was a question of competency and capable management. It is not rocket science. Some high up in the Authority decided the northern regions aren’t worth the trouble.
After humiliating the northern regions and reaffirming what has been known all along — that government officials don’t give a hoot about the area — the National Identification Authority has the audacity to offer a profuse apology? What a crying shame.
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