The Chief Executive Officer of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Professor Kenneth Attafuah has said as of the close of work on Tuesday, 14 May 2019, the Authority had issued 550,426 Ghana cards to Ghanaians.

Prof Attafuah also said 71, 259 cards have been printed but are yet to be issued to their owners.

Speaking to Benjamin Akakpo on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Wednesday, 15 May 2019 about the ongoing mass Ghana card registration exercise in the Greater Accra Region, Prof Attafuah noted that the NIA is hoping to register 80 per cent of Ghanaians by 31 March 2020.

He said: “From 28 May 2018 to 14 May 2019, we’ve issued 550,426 Ghana cards to Ghanaians.”

“[With] the current rollout, we have as our target 80 per cent of the population aged 15 and above and we want to achieve that target by 31 March 2020. So, between now and 2020, we want to register 80 per cent of that registrable population. When that is over, then we will go and register Ghanaians under 15 years…,” he added.

Prof Attafuah also said the NIA is resorting to text messages to alert the 71, 259 Ghanaians who could not get their cards instantly, to visit their registration centres to collect them.

He further disclosed that some 8, 216 cards have been printed but are awaiting adjudication, meaning the bearers either did multiple registrations or gave false information – either deliberately or unintentionally – and once investigations have been concluded, the cards will be released for collection.

The Ghana Card, according to the NIA, will replace other cards in the system and must be accepted by all institutions as valid ID cards.



The card is valid for 10 years, after which every citizen will be required to renew it at a fee. Replacement of the card upon loss or destruction at any time will also attract a fee.

The mass Ghana card registration started in the Greater Accra Region on Monday, 29 April 2019 and ends in the Central Region on 31 March 2020.