By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, Dec.3, GNA- Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia Tuesday commissioned six newly installed electronic gates (E-Gates) at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to enhance processing time of passengers’ travelling documents and credentials.
To that end, Ghanaians with Ghana Card can now enter Ghana with ease.
The home-grown technology was a collaboration between the government of Ghana, through the Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Aviation Authority, Ghana Airport Company Limited, and Margins Group.
During the unveiling ceremony at the arrival hall of the KIA, Vice President Bawumia said the e-gates would improve border security and management at the airport, land, and sea entry points.
The facility, he said, would also curb fraud, smuggling and undesirable elements from entering the country.
The e-gates leverage innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence, biometrics, and real-time data processing to create a frictionless and secure travel experience.
The new border control system and the e-gates are designed to benefit a wide range of travelers, including Ghanaians, members of the diaspora and foreign visitors.
By pre-registering biometric data and travel credentials, travelers can bypass traditional queues, which will significantly reduce waiting times.
To that end, travelers’ hours of waiting can now be completed in as little as 15 minutes from landing to the exit points.
The Vice President said with the commissioning of the E-Gates, it would curb fraud, smuggling and undesirable persons from entering the country.
“This is a vision that has taken four years to conceptualise, design, build and implement.
“It is a testament to the strength of local expertise and collaboration. This major achievement highlights how home-grown solutions can meet and exceed global standards,” Dr Bawumia stated.
The Vice President said the Government had been focusing on homegrown solutions in implementing digitisation programmes including the mobile money, interoperability, the Ghana national ID system and the Ghana Card.
He said the technology leveraged the comprehensive identity framework integrating biometric data, digital data, addresses and personal identities into a secure platform.
“This framework has transformed service delivery across sectors from health insurance and driver’s licensing to tax identification and patient management,” he stated.
For instance, he said, Ghana Card has also become a critical tool for national security, supporting law enforcement and other agencies.
“Notably, the Ghana card was recognised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, (ICOWA) headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
He said it was recognised as a valid e-passport card and since this recognition, Ghanaians had been able to travel to Ghana across 197 countries and accessing over 44,000 airports worldwide with just the Ghana Card
“So, you can travel from all these 44,000 airports into Ghana with your Ghana Card, because the ICOWA system recognised the Ghana Card as an e-passport document of tax.
Building on this foundation, he said, the Ghana Immigration Service, in partnership with the margins group, developed an intelligent border control system.
“The culmination of this effort is the e-gates we unveil today, delivering a much security transparency and efficiency at all entry points, airports, sea points and land borders.
Dr Bawumia said the global travel landscape was evolving radically, with innovations such as biometric e-gates and digital travel credentials becoming the new standard.
“For example, the United Kingdom has begun trials of facial biometric e-gates that allow travelers to pass through immigration without presenting physical passports. Similarly, the European Union is advancing its digital travel credential initiative, enabling travelers to submit their credentials digitally in advance for faster clearance,” the Vice President stated.
The Vice President said Ghana had embraced those global advancements, integrating biometric verification and digital travel credential technologies into a single platform.
“This dual capability positions Ghana as a pioneer in intelligent border control, aligning with global standards, while placing us ahead of many advanced countries at the moment,” he said.
The Vice President said with the ability to facilitate e-vices and a fully digital travel process, Ghana was now prepared for the future of border management.
These advancements, he said, reflected the country’s readiness for the fourth and fifth industrial revolution, ensuring adaptability to future innovations.
Mr Kwame Asuah Takyi, the Comptroller General, Ghana Immigration Service, in his welcome remarks, said the e-gates would improve efficiency of border management system and modernise the operations of the airport.
GNA