The National Identification Authority (NIA) has cautioned banks and other institutions against using photocopies of the Ghana Card for identity verification, describing the practice as insecure and prone to fraud.
The warning was issued by the NIA’s Executive Secretary, Wisdom Kwaku Deku, during a press conference at the Authority’s head office in Accra to mark Identity Day.
Mr. Deku explained that photocopies of ID cards cannot guarantee the authenticity of the individual presenting them, since they do not prove the cardholder’s physical presence at the point of transaction. He stressed that only biometric authentication — through fingerprint or facial recognition can reliably confirm identity.
“At any point in time, if anybody presents his or her Ghana Card for a transaction, that person needs to be authenticated or verified from the NIA,” he said. “That is why we are insisting that at no point should anybody rely on photocopies. The moment you do photocopy of the cards, you have not established the person’s identity.”
The NIA reiterated its commitment to working with financial institutions and service providers to strengthen biometric verification systems and ensure safer transactions.
