By Adams Perpetual,Seli Baisie
Copyright gbcghanaonline
By Adams Perpetual
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has outlined its ongoing efforts to streamline Ghana Card registration for children while addressing challenges with premium services, data protection, and eligibility verification.
The Executive Secretary of the NIA, Mr. Deku, explained that the law (LI 2111, passed in 2012) makes the Ghana Card the mandatory source of identification for all official transactions, including obtaining a driver’s licence, passport, and other essential documents. According to the Authority, the card is now the “single source of truth” that integrates seamlessly with other national systems such as the DVLA and Passport Office.
“By 2030 every Ghanaian should have the National Identification Card,” he said.
On the GTV Breakfast Show, Mr. Deku clarified the situation regarding registration for children aged 0–5 and 6–14 years. Registration for children under five was paused due to technical issues that created multiple PINs for the same child. He said the problem has now been resolved, and a new process is being developed to capture infants’ details at birth through hospitals, using the mother’s data since babies cannot provide fingerprints.
For children aged 6 to 14, about 6.3 million were targeted, but registration suffered printing setbacks. The Authority says the cards have now been reprinted and will be distributed through schools.
Mr. Deku also responded to concerns over the Authority’s premium service, which charges GHS 310 despite the Ghana Card being free. Officials explained that while registration at district offices remains free, premium centres were introduced in 2023 to provide faster services, particularly when government was struggling to pay private partners for card production. These centres have more staff, can process over 100 registrations a day, and also support online applications via the register.gov.gh platform. He stressed that the premium option is voluntary and meant for those who want quicker services.
Looking ahead, he revealed plans to involve private sector partners through a public-private partnership (PPP) model to extend services nationwide and create jobs. However, he assured the public that all data would remain strictly with the NIA, emphasizing that citizens’ information is protected and secure.
On the issue of ineligible registrations, Mr. Deku reiterated that only Ghanaians are entitled to the card, and that applicants must prove citizenship, typically with a birth certificate. Staff have been trained to detect and prevent non-Ghanaians from acquiring the card, following concerns raised by stakeholders such as the Bankers Association.
The NIA maintains that while technical and financial challenges have slowed aspects of the registration drive, it remains committed to ensuring that every Ghanaian, including children, receives a Ghana Card to make them fully visible in the country’s identification system.
