The National Identification Authority (NIA) has dispelled rumour circulating on social media that three of its field staff have tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Eastern Region.
A statement signed by the Authority’s Head of Corporate Affairs, ACI Francis Palmdeti, and released in Accra on Monday, April 13, 2020, said the story is not authentic, urging the general public to treat same with the contempt that it deserves.
“The attention of the National Identification Authority (NIA) has been drawn to a fake news circulating on social media that three (3) NIA officials in the Eastern Region have tested positive to COVID-19), with JoyNews credited as the source. NIA checks with JoyNews (Multimedia Group) indicate that the story is not authentic and has not been reported by any outlet of the multimedia group”, the statement in part read.
According to the NIA, facts regarding COVID-19 cases in the Eastern Region as at Monday, April 13, 2020, indicate that a total of 32 persons have tested positive to COVID-19 in the Eastern Region out of which 31 are Indian Nationals working for AFCON, an Indian railway company.
All the 31, the statement noted, reside at the company’s camp at Kpong in the Eastern Region.
The remaining one (1), it added, is a Ghanaian citizen living at Begoro in the Fanteakwa District of the Eastern Region.
“This person is a local farmer, and has no connection with the NIA as a staff, a registration official or any other capacity whatsoever. Any claim contrary to any of the above statement is absolutely false and must be disregarded”, the statement in part further read.
