The National Identification Authority (NIA) has said that passports lack the credibility Ghana Cards provides, in response to concerns and queries about why passports are not being accepted for identification in the current SIM re-registration operation.
Prof. Ken Attafuah, Executive Secretary of the Authority, said that “the Ghana Card is a far superior index of your identity.”
“A passport is a primary document for establishing your citizenship and eligibility to travel across borders but even so, you see visa requirements. “There is a limit,” he said.
Prof. Attafuah further said that the Ghana Card registration procedure demonstrates why passports cannot be completely trusted.
“During the mass registration, there were people who went to registration centers with Ghana passports but were denied the right to register, because, upon interrogation, it was found that they were not Ghanaians.”
“It can be found to be procured through improper means and you cannot rely on it,” the NIA boss added.
Aside from that, Prof Attafuah said that “wherever identification is to be established, a Ghana Card shall be required.”
The concerns about passports not being accepted are also due to the fact that many Ghanaians have yet to get their Ghana Cards.
The Authority has said that its regional offices would open later in October to enable Ghanaians who have registered to receive their printed cards.
According to the Authority, almost 84 percent of Ghanaians aged 15 and above, or about 15 million individuals, registered for the Ghana card.
Mobile SIM card re-registration is scheduled to span six months, concluding on March 31, 2022.
The exercise is being carried out in line with the Subscriber Identity Module Registration Regulations, 2011, LI 2006, in order to combat SIM boxing and other illegal activities.
Any SIM card that have not been registered by the conclusion of this operation will be blocked.
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