The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced that photocopying or visually inspecting a Ghana Card for identity verification during transactions is now illegal.
The Authority said all institutions and individuals that require identity authentication must now use biometric verification instead of relying on physical copies or visual checks of the Ghana Card.
According to the Executive Secretary of the NIA, Wisdom Yayra Koku Deku, the new directive follows amendments to the National Identity Register Regulations, 2011 (L.I. 2111), which have come into force after being laid before Parliament and gazetted.
In a statement shared on Facebook on Wednesday, July 15, Mr. Deku said biometric verification of the Ghana Card is now mandatory for all transactions requiring identity confirmation.
“It is now an offence to photocopy or visually inspect a Ghana Card for the purpose of transaction. Biometric verification is now MANDATORY,” he wrote.
Under the amended regulations, organisations that continue to use photocopies or visual inspection of Ghana Cards for verification could face fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 penalty units upon summary conviction.
Individuals who violate the new rules could also be fined between 50 and 500 penalty units.
The NIA said the changes are aimed at improving the security and reliability of identity verification, protecting personal information, and reducing risks associated with the misuse of Ghana Card copies.
Mr. Deku added that the sector minister will soon provide further details on the implementation of the new regulations and measures to ensure compliance.
He also encouraged organisations that require access to the NIA’s Identity Verification Platform to begin the onboarding process by contacting the Authority.
