The National Identification Authority (NIA) has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the identity of every Ghanaian, describing secure and verifiable identification as both a fundamental human right and a necessity for accessing essential services.
Speaking at this year’s Identity Day celebration, the Executive Secretary of the NIA, Mr. Wisdom Kwaku Deku, underscored that the Ghana Card remains the only legally recognized national identity card for all public and private transactions in accordance with Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2111 of 2012.
“Identity is not a privilege; it is a fundamental human right. Without a recognized and verifiable identity, citizens are excluded from education, healthcare, financial services, and participation in national development,” he stressed.
Mr. Deku urged institutions and service providers to fully integrate into the NIA’s Identity Verification System Platform (IVSP) to ensure real-time authentication of individuals, cautioning that photocopies of the Ghana Card are not acceptable for identification.
Achievements and Reforms
The Executive Secretary outlined key reforms and milestones achieved since January 2025, including:
Clearing a backlog of 600,000 unprinted cards, with more than 700,000 already distributed to districts.
Ensuring full operation of district offices nationwide for free first-time registration.
Expanding premium service centres from 8 to 15 across the regions.
Introducing an online registration and appointment booking system, piloted in five regions.
Collaborating with the DVLA to provide 24/7 registration strictly for online applicants.
He further disclosed that the Authority will soon engage stakeholders to amend Acts 707 (2006), 750 (2008), and L.I. 2111, making biometric verification mandatory for all identity-based transactions, with sanctions for non-compliance.
Child Registration and Statistics
On child registration, Mr. Deku announced that more than 350,000 Ghana Cards for children aged 6–14 registered in 2024—have been printed and will be distributed from September 23 in partnership with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
So far, the NIA has:
Issued 17,855,708 Ghana Cards.
Updated 207,322 records.
Replaced 585,337 cards.
In total, more than 19.7 million Ghanaians (9,886,265 males and 9,869,094 females) have been registered.
Infrastructure and Recognition
Mr. Deku also highlighted ongoing infrastructure upgrades, including *CCTV installations, access control systems, and refurbishment works* carried out through corporate support at no cost to government. The NIA is also working towards ISO certification to position itself as a world-class identity management institution.
The Authority, which recently won the “Most Efficient Public Service Delivery” award at the Ghana Integrity Awards, expressed appreciation to its technical partner, Identity Management Systems (IMS II), and other stakeholders for their continuous support.
“Together with our partners, we will continue to safeguard identity as the backbone of national development. On behalf of the board, management, and staff, I wish all Ghanaians a Happy Identity Day,” Mr. Deku concluded.
The Identity Day celebration will be climaxed on Friday with a football match at the Legon Training Pitch.
Story by Eugene Kwasi Nyarko
