The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, has declared biometric verification as the sole lawful means to confirm the identity of Ghana Card holders.
He has strictly banned reliance on photocopies, digital scans, or physical card duplicates for identification.
The mandate is established under the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, L.I. 2523, designed to fortify personal data security and eliminate identity theft.
Speaking to journalists in Accra on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, Honourable Muntaka Mubarak warned that non-compliant organisations face stiff penalties, including administrative fines and temporary revocation of access to the national database.
He emphasised that simply sighting a physical Ghana Card is no longer an acceptable standard for official transactions.
“Entities conducting activities specified under Regulation 7 of L.I. 2523 must validate individual identity via biometric cross-referencing with the National Identity Register or through match-on-card authentication using NIA-certified hardware,” he stated.
The Minister stressed that public and private bodies are forbidden from demanding, storing, duplicating, or using copies or digital captures of the Ghana Card to fulfil verification needs.
He further highlighted that citizens verifying identities in personal or informal settings should apply biometric checks whenever possible, and are strictly barred from storing or transmitting cardholder details without legal authorisation or explicit consent.
Mubarak concluded by granting a 90-day grace period to allow all institutions to adopt and align their systems with the required biometric infrastructure prior to full implementation.
Source: Collins Kofi Asante
