Samba (not his real name), 26, knows the value of a Ghana card. It’s not just a piece of plastic to him—it’s access to opportunities, services, and recognition. But Samba’s attempt to secure one remains a painful memory.
Living in Bongo-Soe, a quiet community in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region, Samba eagerly joined the queue years ago when the National Identification Authority (NIA) arrived to conduct mass registration. Like everyone else, he hoped the process would be straightforward so he could get back to his daily tasks.
Without a birth certificate, passport, or voter’s ID—the basic requirements for registration—Samba relied on the trust of his neighbors. Two community members, well-acquainted with his family, had agreed to vouch for him. Yet, when his turn came, things didn’t go as planned.
The officials dismissed the testimonies of the two men, insisting Samba needed the required documents. It was the next words, however, that cut the deepest: “What is a Fulani going to do with a Ghana card? You are not Ghanaian.”
Those words shattered Samba. He swears he is Ghanaian, born and raised on this soil. His parents and their ancestors lived here long before his family settled in Bongo-Soe. To Samba, his roots and his identity are clear, but that day, the officials’ decision cast a shadow over them. He left the queue broken, unable to shake the feeling that his Ghanaianness had been unjustly denied.
Samba is not alone in this situation. Members of the Fulbe community say they continue to deal with discrimination in their attempt to register for the Ghana Card.
The Ghana Card: A Journey of Evolution
Ghana’s national identification system has a long history. The first attempt to establish a system dates back to 1973. In 1987, a Technical Implementation Committee was formed to relaunch the effort, and between 1995 and 1999, SSNIT attempted to create a National Identification System. By 2001, a multisectoral committee was tasked with drafting an action plan.
In 2003, a secretariat was set up to develop the framework for the National Identification Authority (NIA). Parliament passed the NIA Act in 2006, and the first 2D barcode National ID cards were issued in 2009. The journey continued with the implementation of the Foreign Identification Management System (FIMS) in 2012, targeting non-Ghanaians living in Ghana. By 2017, the FIMS project expanded to include Ghanaians both at home and abroad.
In 2018, the NIA piloted a model registration system allowing instant issuance of Ghana Cards. This was followed by mass registration campaigns in 2019 and 2020, targeting citizens aged 15 and above. In 2021, regional and district offices were established, and by September 2024, registration began for Ghanaians living abroad. By October 2024, the NIA partnered with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to register children aged 6 to 14.
To date, the NIA operates under the National Identity Register Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2111). As of November 2024, 18,593,697 Ghanaians had been registered, with 17,423,043 Ghana Cards issued.
NIA’s Defense: A Matter of Proof
Speaking to A1 Radio, the Upper East Regional Director of the NIA, Ibrahim Awudu, defended the registration process, emphasizing that the NIA is not responsible for conferring citizenship but ensuring that only Ghanaians are registered. He explained that applicants must present a certified birth certificate, a valid passport, or a certificate of citizenship. In the absence of these, two registered Ghana Cardholders can vouch for an applicant through a legal attestation form. Without these documents or guarantors, registration becomes difficult.
The Law: Who is a Ghanaian?
According to Article 6 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, citizenship is a matter of law. A person is Ghanaian by birth if born in Ghana or abroad to at least one Ghanaian parent or grandparent. Children under seven found in Ghana with unknown parents are presumed citizens, and adoption by a Ghanaian confers citizenship. The Constitution also upholds pre-existing citizenship laws, provided they align with its provisions.
Abdulai Jalaldeen, Upper East Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), emphasized, “It doesn’t lie in anybody’s mouth to say, ‘Looking at you, you don’t look Ghanaian.’” He pointed out that members of the Fulbe community, like Samba, often fulfill the constitutional criteria for citizenship.
Jalaldeen called for a revision of the NIA’s registration criteria, particularly for marginalized groups like the Fulbe who face systemic discrimination. “Some Fulbes have lived here long before the Constitution came into effect. Some have even married Ghanaians. By virtue of the Constitution, they satisfy the criteria for citizenship,” he said.
While the basic requirements for registration are essential, Jalaldeen argued that these rigid demands further alienate groups like the Fulbe. He urged the NIA to redefine its criteria to ensure inclusivity and fairness in the Ghana Card registration process.
The Way Forward
The Ghana Card is more than a national identification tool—it is a gateway to inclusion, opportunity, and progress in a rapidly digitizing world. Its prospects are vast: fostering digital inclusion by providing every citizen with a verifiable identity, driving economic growth through structured systems that bolster businesses and revenue collection, improving governance by facilitating access to essential services, and enhancing security through advanced biometric technology.
Yet, stories like Samba’s and many others within marginalized groups, such as the Fulbe community, reveal a glaring gap in this vision of inclusivity.
Despite their rightful claims to citizenship, these individuals face systemic barriers, discrimination, and rejection, leaving them excluded from the benefits the Ghana Card offers.
As Ghana strives toward a future defined by inclusivity and digitization, it is imperative to ensure no one is left behind. Revising registration criteria and addressing discriminatory practices will not only honor the Constitution but also reaffirm the nation’s commitment to equality and progress for all.
