The Ghanaian National Identification Authority (NIA), the agency in charge of managing the processing and issuance of national identification card, otherwise known as Ghana Card, has revealed that government will make a yearly average of $67m and about $1bn in 15 years from the project.
This is the Nigerian National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) may have temporarily dropped production of the cards in favour of encouraging Nigerians to register to have their National Identity Number (NIN) slip only.
Though investigations have shown that NIMC abandoned card production due to funding crisis, it still maintains that NIN is more important now considering efforts of the special Committee of the federal government in harmonizing all electronic cards with a view to converging all forms of identity cards in Nigeria into one multipurpose national ID Card.
Though in Ghana, the nation al ID card scheme failed to kick off as planned seemingly due to ensuring controversy bordering on costs on citizens, NIA has cleared the air in a statement made available to Business Hilights Ghana Bureau chief in Accra on Tuesday, saying “Ghana Card is a self-sustaining one with revenue modules and statutory fees, which is funded by the government only for the first year, and that when the project becomes viable; it is expected to accrue minimum revenue of one billion dollars to the government in the next 15 years”.
Making a classical comparison with Indian Card, NIA observed that “the India card is funded by the Indian government yearly, which is fully funded by the taxpayer”.
“The Indian government saved $19 million between 2015 and 2016, but does not rake-in any revenue to the government.
“Additionally, the Ghana Card would be used as a national identity card and replace multiple ID cards in the system and confers citizenship on holders. It would be used as passport within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
“It is mandatory for public and private usage for business transactions, which is expected to advance social, economic and political activities in the country.
“On the contrary, the Indian Aadhaar is not a national ID, and does not use it as identity documents. It is used only in India and does not have a chip and storage capacity. It is printed on paper although it has a PIN number,
“Again, the Indian card does not confer citizenship on holders and not intended to replace existing ID cards.
“More so, the Ghana Card has PIN number with chip embedded in it, 148 kilobyte capacity, with Data Protection Complaint, Act 843.
NIA also explained further that the Indian Card has no chip, no storage capacity, suffers breaches with PKI, and with no data protection laws in place and mostly printed on paper.
In an interview with an official of NIMC on Tuesday, our correspondent gathered that registration for NIN is growing nationwide with more registration centres by NIMC in collaboration with several agencies and corporate bodies.
The official advised Nigerians to avail the opportunity of expanded registration points to get their NIN as very soon the number will be a major condition to access any government service.
Already, the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), since this year has made NIN mandatory for either Passport renewal or new one.
