The new smart ‘Ghana Card’ shall be the only card to be used in transactions where identification is required as provided by law, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said.

He added that the card will bring to an end the phenomenon of several agencies taking the biometric details of Ghanaian citizens. Speaking after receiving his ‘Ghana Card’, President Akufo-Addo said the smart cards, which have tactile features to help the visually impaired, are “safer and in line with current trends”.

The promise of a new national identification card was made by the president during the 2016 electioneering campaign.

The first of the cards was issued at the head office of the National Identification Authority (NIA) on Friday. “The NPP government under my leadership has not only prioritised the NIS as special and strategic but also demonstrated commitment to make the NIA work again,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo bemoaned the proliferation of biometric systems by other government agencies, blaming that situation on the inability of the national identification system (NIS) to work.

“By statute, the NIA is under obligation to ensure accuracy, integrity, confidentiality, and security of data it collects. “I am delighted to note that the new Ghana Card is a great improvement over the previous one and meets all international standards required of such identity document.”

He stated that the new card will replace the sectorial ID cards in circulation. “It shall be the only card to be used in the transaction where identification is required as provided by law.” The cards will be valid for 10 years and expected to capture 10 finger prints. It will serve as a passport for Ghanaian citizens in the West African sub-region. All children born will also be registered but will be given their cards when they turn 15.