Muntaka: Only biometric verification can authenticate Ghana Cards

The Ministry for the Interior has announced that biometric verification is now the only accepted method for authenticating Ghana Card holders, warning that the use of photocopies, scanned images, or duplicated cards for identification purposes will be prohibited.

The directive is contained in the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, L.I. 2523, which seeks to strengthen data protection measures and curb identity fraud.

Addressing a press briefing in Accra, Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak said institutions that fail to comply with the new requirements could face sanctions, including financial penalties and the suspension of their access to the national identification verification system.

He explained that visual inspection of the Ghana Card alone would no longer be sufficient for transactions requiring identity verification.

“Organisations offering the transactions listed under Regulation 7 of L.I. 2523 must verify identity through biometric authentication against the National Identity Register or through match-on-card verification using devices approved by the National Identification Authority,” he said.

The Minister added that organisations would not be allowed to request, retain, reproduce, or rely on photocopies, scanned copies, or images of Ghana Cards for verification purposes.

He further noted that individuals confirming another person’s identity in private or informal transactions would also be required to use biometric verification where practicable and must not retain or share information captured from the Ghana Card unless permitted by law or with the cardholder’s consent.

Mubarak also announced a three-month transition period for public and private institutions to integrate the biometric verification system into their operations before the new rules are fully enforced.