[ 2017-05-10 ]

Only 4.5million resident Ghanaians have National IDs.

83% of Ghanaians without National ID
A report by the Committee on Communications of
Parliament shows that the National Identification
Authority (NIA) is yet to register and issue a
national identification card to 83percent of the
country’s estimated 27million population.

According to the report, only 4.5million resident
Ghanaians, representing 17percent of the
population, have National IDs.

“Presently, the Authority is managing the
biometric data of 4.5million resident Ghanaians
and 90,000 legally resident foreign nationals.”
the report states.

The report further indicates that notwithstanding
the challenges, the authority in the year 2016,
was able to register 2,775 resident Ghanaians and
issued 3,658 National Identity Cards to registered
resident Ghanaians.

It was also able to register and issue identity
cards to 14,067 legally resident foreign
nationals.

For the performance of its activities for year
2017, the NIA has been allocated Gh?112m,
comprising compensation of Gh?5m, Gh?10m for Goods
and Services and an IGF component of Gh?7m.

This year, according to the report, the NIA
intends to revamp the National Identification
System(NIS) in line with its statutory mandate by
issuing National Identity Cards to citizens and
generally ensure the effective implementation of
the NIS.

The Authority intends to vigorously enforce the
use of the non-citizen Ghana Card by eligible
foreign nationals.

The Committee also noted that other institutions
are also holding separate biometric data of
segments of the population, and it is important to
have a one-stop shop for personal biometric data
to avoid duplication and improve the credibility
of such data.

“In this regard, the NIA plans to harmonise the
regulatory framework, strengthen institutional
co-ordination and integrate other public biometric
databases into the National Identity Register”.

The NIA has the mandate to adopt cutting edge
technology to provide client-based identification
services for socio-economic development, good
governance, safety and security for all citizens
and eligible foreign nationals resident in Ghana.

Government has reportedly begun the process of
implementing a comprehensive national
identification project, in fulfillment of a
long-held NPP campaign pledge to build a database
of Ghanaians and other nationals resident in
Ghana.

The National Identification project is expected to
be completed within the first year of the NPP
administration, in fulfillment of a manifesto
pledge to complete the registration of all
residents in Ghana under the National
Identification Scheme.

It is expected to help establish an integrated
Data Warehouse of databases from key public
institutions, using the National Identification
System as the unique identifier for data items,
and automating the processes involved in accessing
public services at both national and local
government offices.

The NPP government is convinced the National ID
scheme would help formalise the economy through
the establishment of a national database, using
the National Identification System as the primary
identifier, with linkages to the databases of
institutions such as the Police, National Health
Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Passport Office,
Immigration, Courts, Ghana Revenue Authority
(GRA), and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing
Authority (DVLA).

Source - thebftonline.com

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