Nigerian residents in Ghana have been urged to register with the All Nigeria Community (ANC) to facilitate proper documentation and improve welfare services.
The President of the ANC, Chief Dr Bayo Albert Ashaolu, said the exercise would help create a reliable database of Nigerians in the country and strengthen engagement with the authorities.
He made the call at a roundtable meeting between the leadership of the ANC and the National Identification Authority (NIA) in Accra on Monday.
Dr Bayo noted that the engagement represented an important step towards strengthening the longstanding diplomatic and social relations between Ghana and Nigeria, two countries with deep historical and cultural ties.
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and identification of Nigerians in Ghana, the ANC has introduced a welfare and identification card for its members.
Dr Ashaolu explained that the initiative was aimed at enhancing data collection, improving security, curbing impersonation and criminal activities, and providing access to insurance services tailored to the needs of the Nigerian diaspora.
He added that the card would also support immigration processes by ensuring that more Nigerians in Ghana were properly documented.
Furthermore, the initiative would provide both Ghanaian and Nigerian authorities with more accurate information on the size and distribution of the Nigerian population in the country.
While encouraging Nigerians to register with the ANC, Dr Ashaolu also called on the Government of Ghana to review the cost of the non-citizen Ghana Card.
He noted that the current charges were a major obstacle to compliance with registration requirements.
The President said many migrants, particularly small-scale traders, were unable to afford the fees associated with the non-citizen Ghana Card and residency permits.
“If the cost is reduced, we can assure the authorities that more Nigerians will comply with the registration requirements,” he said.
The ANC President further highlighted concerns from some Nigerian business operators who reportedly faced challenges when using the non-citizen Ghana Card to clear goods at Ghana’s ports.
According to him, some traders were compelled to rely on the documents of Ghanaian citizens to complete transactions.
Responding to the concerns, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Identification Authority, Dr William Ahiadzi reiterated that the Authority’s mandate included the registration of both Ghanaians and foreign nationals who resided in the country for more than 90 days.
He disclosed that more than 19.4 million Ghanaians and over 250,000 foreign nationals had been registered under the national identification system.
Dr Ahadzie explained that the system operated under a public-private partnership arrangement, with fees approved by Parliament to enable technical partners to recover operational costs.
However, he acknowledged concerns about affordability and confirmed that discussions were ongoing regarding a possible reduction in registration charges.
He also revealed that proposals for a temporary amnesty period to allow free registration for non-citizens had been considered, although such a measure would require parliamentary approval and agreement from the Authority’s private-sector partners.
Dr Ahadzie said the national identification system played a critical role in security, governance, and service delivery.
He urged all foreign nationals residing in Ghana to comply with registration requirements to avoid legal and administrative difficulties.
The meeting ended with both parties agreeing to maintain regular engagement, with the ANC expected to submit recommendations on acceptable pricing levels for consideration in future policy reviews.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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