National Identification System for Ghana; House Takes 2nd Reading

Fingerprint Identification Technologies Presents:

Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
NEWS
March 17, 2006
Posted to the web March 17, 2006

By Linda Akrasi

Parliament has unanimously approved the report on the bill that will establish a national identification system and provide a central database of all Ghanaians as well as foreign nationals permanently resident in Ghana.

This would enable Ghanaians to be uniquely linked to a proven biometric identifier and automated fingerprint identification mechanism for the issuance of national identification cards.

Taking the bill through the second reading, members admitted the need for the country to have a national identification system to make it easier for identification purposes.

Moving the motion for the adoption of the report, the minister for Public Sector Reforms, Paa Kwesi Ndoum, said the national identification system was a significant step in the history of the country.

He said the actualization of the system would allow the nation to move a step forward in this democratic era.

Seconding the motion, the chairman for the joint committee on constitutional, local government and rural development, defence and interior, Kwame Osei Prempeh, said there was the need for the development of a multi purpose identification system.

He said the report observed that the system was a very crucial tool for planning to ensure sustainable growth and development of all sectors of the economy.

The report stated that it was more crucial to establish a credible source of authentic database to guide the provision and delivery of relevant social, economic and political services in the country.

The report noted with satisfaction that the operationalisation of the system would constitute a key infrastructure for the integration of public and private sector business transactions.

The committee took note of the fact that an operationalised multi purpose identification system would serve as a basis for improving and increasing public access to social services by increasing more of such services.

When given the floor, deputy minority leader, Doe Adjaho, said registration of Ghanaian citizens abroad was a very dangerous exercise because one had to determine who qualified as a Ghanaian.

He noted the need to fine-tune the bill so it could become an acceptable data and ensure that the identification process was transparent.

Minister for education and sports, Yaw Osafo Maafo, in his contribution admitted that the Electoral Commission (EC) should be independent in the implementation so that the system would be credible.

He said if the implementation were done, it would save the nation the billions of cedis it spent in registration processes prior to elections, thereby cutting down cost entirely.

"It is long overdue," he declared, advising that the bill be done without a bi-partisan approach.

Minority leader, Alban Bagbin said there was a difficulty in identifying Ghanaian nationals because of the provisions of our law on citizenship.

He said as a country we should build consensus on the identification system to produce a credible data.

"Lets create some consensus and agree on modalities," he called on his colleagues and Ghanaians in general.

Rounding off the debate, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Kwadwo Mpiani, assured members of the independence of the EC and asked that the issue be looked at passionately.

He added that the concern of the minority leader be taken into consideration so that the nation can have a credible database.

The implementation of the bill was to establish a National Identification System. The system provides a central database of individuals uniquely linked to a proven biometric identifier, based on advances in biometric technology.

The system is meant to address the issues of national concern and will have some interconnectivity between the national data center, regional sites, some ministries, departments, and agencies, national security agencies and private organizations.

Based on this national database system and the biometric identifier - the automated fingerprint identification system -, secure national identify cards will be issued to all citizens of Ghana and foreign nationals permanently resident in Ghana.

Discussions on the issue of identification for citizens began during the Busia Administration. The Identity Cards Decree 1972 (NRCD129) required citizens of Ghana aged sixteen years and above to be issued with identity cards.

The decree further stipulated that the card was to be accepted as evidence of the identity of the holder in cases where the identity of the holder may be an issue. A person who was required to hold an identity card was not to be employed unless the person produced the identity card.

Public and private employers would be required to enter the identity card number of each employee in the personal records of that employee, and each person responsible for social security scheme was to use the allocated identity number instead of the registration number allotted to contributions under the scheme.

In 1973, national identity cards were issued to citizens in five border regions of the country including parts of Western region, the Volta, Northern, Upper and Brong Ahafo regions. The project was however discontinued three years later due to lack of financial and logistical support.

In 1987, the government of the Provisional National Defense Council, through the National Commission for Democracy, revisited the national identity card concept by establishing several committees, including a technical implementation committee, to examine and propose a unique numbering system.

It was also to work out the modalities of the national identification system, determine the computer-based equipment required and the cost involved, and advise on funding. Due to economic difficulties, the process was not pursued.