Avoid Photocopying the Ghana Card for Transactions-Margins Group CEO

Ghanaians are being advised against allowing any institution to photocopy their Ghana Card for transactions. Instead, they should insist that institutions verify the cards according to National Identification Authority (NIA) regulations.

Moses Baiden, CEO of Margins ID Group, emphasized this caution during a visit by officials from the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation and its agencies. This visit was an opportunity for ministry staff to observe the complex process of producing the Ghana Card and understand its various secure database functions.

Sample Ghana Card 

The visit underscored the critical importance of secure and compliant use of national identification systems. Proper education and enforcement are essential to protect citizens' identities and support the country's digital economy ambitions.

Agencies that participated in the visit included the Ghana Digital Centre, Cyber Security Authority, Data Protection Commission, Ghana Domain Names Registry, Ghana Post, and the National Communications Authority (NCA). Other agencies involved were the National Information Technology Agency, Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications, Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, and the Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission.

Baiden warned against photocopying, sharing screenshots, and distributing digital copies of the Ghana Card. He explained that such actions expose the cardholder to identity theft. 

Improper use of the Ghana Card, such as photocopying or sharing digital copies, can enable criminals to misuse others' identities for fraud and other crimes, Baiden noted. He stressed the importance of adhering to NIA guidelines to protect citizens' identities.

Baiden highlighted that the NIA system requires individuals to present themselves and undergo fingerprint verification, generating an audit code linked to the transaction. This method ensures a high level of security and authenticity in identity verification.

He also pointed out that the main challenge in the country's data protection and identification efforts is not data collection or technology but attitudinal and enforcement issues. Baiden urged institutions to fully understand the NIA system to make informed decisions and adopt best practices.

Baiden explained that the system provides a unique identity, as the base of fraud is identity duplication. To commit a crime, a criminal must mask their identity digitally or physically to harm public and private resources.

The government's focus on ID as the first step in building a clean society is significant, Baiden noted. He emphasized that legal processes determine how secure an ID is, as technology must always follow the law.

Describing data as the new gold driving Ghana's digital economy in a rapidly digitizing world, Baiden stressed the necessity of a secure biometric database for the success of any digital economy.