NIA achieves over 80 percent registration target

The National Identification Authority (NIA) says it has achieved 84.44 percent (15,581,283) of its enrolment target as of June 28, 2021.

That, it said exceeded its target of 80 percent of the population aged 15 years and above.

The Executive Secretary of the NIA, Prof Ken Attafuah said this at the meet the press series in Accra Wednesday (June 30, 2021)

Cards issued

He indicated that the authority had also printed 15,562,413 cards and issued 13,946,371, representing 89.620 percent of the total.

In 2017, the NIA had registered 4,554,528 persons, printed 2,719,425 cards and issued 900,000.

According to Professor. Attafuah, the NIA’s mandate, he said was to register all Ghanaians living in Ghana and abroad and foreign nationals permanently resident in Ghana onto the National Identity Register, issue citizens and eligible foreigners with National Identity Cards (Ghana Cards), Create and maintain a National ID database, ensure the accuracy, integrity, confidentiality and security of data collected and make data in its custody available to persons or institutions authorized by law to access the data.

Secure system

“Ghana’s National Identification System (NIS) provides a secure biometric register with a verification system. The NIS can track and trace all transactions and return accurate and up-to-date information on each individual. It provides a single source of truth for the verification of persons.

“The Ghana Card uniquely identifies the bearer based on biometric features It can be used for the verification and authentication of the identity of an individual,” he said.

Implementation

In order to ensure effective implementation of the National Identification System (NIS) Project, Prof. Attafuah said a number of activities were undertaken before the commencement of the nationwide Mass Registration Exercise in April 2019.

They included the transfer of backend technical systems from IMS II to a secure facility, transfer of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) of the NIS to NITA, launch of the first phase of the Ghana Card on September 15, 2017, redesigning of the NIS architecture to issue smart and dual-interfaced cards and upgrade of the hard and software components of NIA’s data-bearing assets.

The others, he said were the passage of National Identity Register (Amendment) Act, 2017 (Act 950), passage of National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2356), upgrade of NIA’s Tier Two Data Centre to an ultra modern Tier Three Data Centre, negotiate with ECOWAS for the integration of the Ghana Card with the ECOWAS ID Card, liaising with Judicial Service of Ghana to recruit 1500 Ghanaians as Commissioners for Oaths and recruitment and training of over 7000 temporary staff for field registration.

Achievements

Prof. Attafuah said its achievements included stopping 3,811 foreigners from registering on to the NIR system, employed 70,000 officials, deployed 2,000 Commissioners for Oaths, shared biographic data with the National Health Insurance Authority, SSNIT and the Ghana Revenue Authority.

The NIA, he said, had opened permanent offices in all 16 Regions and 275 Operational Districts & Municipalities in the country and that the permanent offices will provide continuous registration services including registration of all citizens from age zero to infinity free of charge;, issuance of printed Ghana Cards to applicants; registration of all foreigners legally and permanently resident in Ghana at a fee; replacement of lost, stolen, damaged or defaced Ghana Cards at a fee; and update of personal records of applicants in the NIR.

With the Ghana Card, he said one could apply for Passports, Driver's License and Insurance Policies, undertake banking transactions, purchase, transfer and registration of land, undertake transactions specified under the NHIS, Pensions, SSNIT and<\!s>Consumer Credit, register as a voters, payment of taxes, registration of SIM Cards, among others.