By Michael Foli Jackidy
Ho, May 14, GNA – Mr Wisdom Kwaku Deku, Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), has disclosed that more than 32,000 children have so far been registered and issued with Ghana Cards under the ongoing registration exercise for children aged six to 14 years in the Volta and Oti Regions.
He said the exercise formed part of efforts by the Authority to achieve universal legal identity coverage in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which seek to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030.
Mr Deku made the disclosure during a monitoring tour of some registration centres in Ho on Wednesday.
He explained that the National Identification Authority Act, Acts 707 and 750 as amended, mandated the Authority to register all Ghanaians from birth.
According to him, the NIA began mass registration in 2018 with persons aged 15 years and above before extending the exercise to children between six and 14 years in October 2024.
“We started the registration in 2018 with persons aged 15 years and above, and in October 2024, we started the registration of children aged six to 14 years,” he said.
Mr Deku noted that although more than 350,000 children were registered during the pilot phase in 2024, the Authority faced challenges with card printing and issuance.
He said the cards were later printed and distributed in 2025 after the technical difficulties were resolved.
The Executive Secretary explained that the ongoing exercise in the Volta and Oti Regions marked the beginning of a nationwide registration campaign for children within the age bracket.
He said the Authority intentionally started the exercise in the two regions before extending it to other parts of the country.
“We started on May 5, and it is important for me as Executive Secretary to personally monitor the process and assess how the registration is progressing,” he said.
Mr Deku said the Authority initially projected to register about 63,000 children in the two regions but encountered some technical challenges at the start of the exercise.
He, however, indicated that the registration process had improved significantly and that the Authority was currently registering close to 9,000 children daily.
“So far, the exercise has been good. We experienced some technical challenges at the beginning, but we have picked up steadily,” he stated.
He added that the Authority was considering whether to extend the exercise depending on the progress made within the scheduled period.
Mr Deku stressed the growing importance of the Ghana Card in national identification and access to public services.
He explained that under Legislative Instrument (L.I.) 2111, the Ghana Card had become the mandatory identification document for transactions requiring proof of identity.
According to him, the Ghana Card Personal Identification Number (PIN) also serves as an individual’s Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) number, Tax Identification Number (TIN) and National Health Insurance number.
“It means a child who is registered automatically gets a SSNIT number, a TIN number and a National Health Insurance number,” he said.
He added that children registered under the exercise would not need to separately register for National Health Insurance since the Ghana Card would serve that purpose.
Mr Deku acknowledged that the Authority might not be able to register every eligible child during the current exercise but assured that district and regional offices would continue registrations after the mass exercise.
He explained that unlike the current arrangement, where children could only register through the mass exercise, eligible children would later be able to visit NIA district and regional offices for registration.
The Executive Secretary identified the lack of birth certificates among many children as one of the major challenges facing the exercise.
He said many parents were relying on affidavit declarations to vouch for their children because they did not possess birth certificates.
“What that means is that parents have to come with the child and swear an affidavit confirming the identity of the child,” he said.
Mr Deku urged parents to prioritise birth registration immediately after childbirth to avoid future identification difficulties.
He disclosed that the NIA, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service and the Births and Deaths Registry, would next month begin the registration of children aged zero to five years.
Under the initiative, children born in hospitals would automatically be assigned identity numbers at birth.
“So once a child is born, the child’s details are captured, a birth registration number is issued, and the Ghana Card PIN is also generated,” he explained.
He said this would eliminate the need for future mass registration exercises for children and ensure a more efficient national identification system.
Mr Deku also assured the public that the NIA would not discriminate against any Ghanaian during the registration process.
He stressed that citizenship was determined by law and not by language, appearance, or ethnicity.
“We have trained our staff not to discriminate against anyone. A Ghanaian is not determined by colour, language or appearance. Citizenship is a matter of law,” he said
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu