Dr Bawumia commissions electronic gates at Kotoka Airport

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, yesterday commissioned six electronic gates (e-gates), at the arrival hall of Terminal Three of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), in Accra to facilitate e-visas and digital travel processes.

He said the border control system would be extended to all major airports in Kumasi and Tamale, as well as the land and sea borders.

All a traveller needs to do is place his or her e-passport card, passport or digital travel document on the e-gate freedom, which will authenticate the document after cross-referencing national and international databases.

When the biometric recognition technology matches with the travellers' biometrics upon successful verification, the gates will automatically open. If there are discrepancies, security is immediately notified.

The Vice-President explained that the systems would ensure borders in the country were faster, safer and more inclusive.

Dr Bawumia said that the global travel landscape was evolving radically and innovations such as biometric e-gates and digital travel credentials were becoming the new standard.

Single platform

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate for the December 7 elections said the country had embraced such global advancements of integrating biometric verification and digital travel credential technologies into a single platform.

“Our e-gate is leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, biometrics and real-time data processing to create a frictionless and secure travel experience,” he added.

Such advancements, Dr Bawumia said, “reflect our readiness for the fourth and fifth industrial revolution while ensuring adaptability to future innovations.”

Significance

The Vice-President further said that the new border control system and e-gates would be of benefit to travellers, including Ghanaian citizens.

“Our system identifies every individual crossing our borders, whether by land, sea or air. It integrates databases such as Ghana National Watch List, Interpol's Global Watch List and Personal Identification Secure Comparison and Evaluation System, also known as the Pisces System,” he said.

With such investments in technology, Dr Bawumia said the country now had full visibility when it came to security; whether through authorised points of entry, borders, land, sea or air.

“What once required hours of waiting can now be completed in as little as 15 minutes from landing to exit from the airport, transforming the arrival and clearance process into one of efficiency and ease,” he said.

It also comes with a high level of security since the system can verify the identity of each traveller against the national and international databases to ensure precision and protection against fraud and authorised entry.

The e-gates project was developed in partnership with a local company, Margins Group, through the collaboration of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Airport Company.

It took four years to conceptualise, design, build and implement, and now fully owned and managed by the GIS.

Efficiency

The Comptroller-General of the GIS, Kwame Asuah-Takyi, said the system would enhance efficiency and security at the airport.

He said it would not only facilitate clearance at immigration but also help process travellers more efficiently and effectively.

For his part, the Minister for the Interior, Henry Quartey, said the introduction of the system reflected the commitment of the government to a safe and progressive future of the country.

He said the security of the country was paramount, hence the adoption of modern solutions to address emerging complex challenges.