The Authority says hence their decision in conducting registration for the Ghana Card in the Eastern Region.
This was contained in the defence by the Authority to enable it continue the registration which was temporary suspended due to an interlocutory injunction at an Accra High Court.
The NIA in a defence filed in response to a suit brought against the authority by two individuals to stop the registration exercise said although the president gave directives for the suspension of public gatherings, the NIA’s work falls under the category of businesses that were permitted to continue to operate but with adequate precautionary measures.
“…much as the President directed that all public gatherings should be suspended, in the same speech Sunday, 15th March, 2020, the President expressly preserved the continued operation of businesses and other workplaces subject to the observance of prescribed social distancing between patrons and staff.”
“…the effect of the President’s directive is that, manufacturing, industrial and service workplaces including the civil service and service in other organs of government, local market, supermarket, shopping mall, restaurant, security services and other essential services continue to function, but subject to the strict practice of prescribed social distancing,” the NIA said in their defence.
The NIA further argued that their work is part of public services and as such the ban declared by the president last Sunday does not include the Ghana card registration and the plaintiffs on that basis have no case against the authority.