The National Identification Authority (NIA) has made biometric verification compulsory for all Ghana Card transactions as part of efforts to curb fraud, misuse and misrepresentation.
The directive follows the coming into force of the National Identification Authority (Register) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523), aimed at protecting personal data and safeguarding the integrity of the national identification system.
The new regulation, which amends the National Identification Authority (Register) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2111), makes biometric verification the mandatory standard for confirming a person’s identity.
It effectively abolishes the old practice of merely inspecting, photocopying or scanning the Ghana Card as a valid means of verification.
Addressing the media in Accra on Wednesday, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, said the law was designed to strengthen the credibility of the national identification system and protect the personal data of citizens and residents.
He urged Ghanaians to insist on proper verification procedures when using their Ghana Card for transactions, such as at banks or health facilities.
Mr Muntaka emphasised that citizens had the right to refuse requests for photocopying or scanning of their cards if proper biometric verification was not being carried out.
“Let me say this to every Ghanaian. You have a right to expect that your Ghana Card will not be casually photocopied, scanned or filed away by anyone you transact with. If any organisation asks to copy your Ghana Card instead of verifying it electronically, you are entitled to decline,” he said.
The minister also directed banks, telecommunications companies, insurance firms, hospitals, schools, government agencies and other institutions to begin or complete the process of integrating onto the National Identity Verification System platform without delay.
The Executive Secretary of the NIA, Mr Wisdom Kwaku Deku, explained that the team would conduct compliance checks, investigate reported breaches and collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure that the provisions of L.I. 2523 were fully enforced nationwide.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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