Former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is widely credited with championing the operationalisation of the Ghana Card and its integration with several national identification platforms as the country’s primary source of identification.
From the financial sector to telecommunications, and in accessing many public services, the Ghana Card has become a reliable and mandatory means of identifying both Ghanaians and non-Ghanaian residents.
The Ghana Card has also emerged as a critical tool in the fight against corruption, particularly in exposing identity fraud, especially on the public payroll.
However, the man who championed its implementation and integration as a unique national identity card, Dr Bawumia, did not have it easy, especially at the hands of his political opponents.
He was opposed and, at best, misunderstood for dedicating so much attention to the Ghana Card, which he consistently argued was essential to building a solid foundation for modern economic transformation.
At one point, when he suggested that the benefits of the Ghana Card as a national identification system were more valuable to the country than 1,000 interchanges, he was roundly mocked by his critics.
Yet, barely a year after leaving office, many of those who once derided him have dramatically shifted position, openly acknowledging the indispensable role of the Ghana Card in Ghana’s much-sought-after economic transformation.
Below are six instances in which the current NDC government under President John Dramani Mahama has effectively vindicated Dr Bawumia on the Ghana Card.
1. May 2025: Ghana Card a Model for Africa – President Mahama
Speaking at the 9th Ghana CEO Summit in Accra in May 2025, just five months into his presidency, President Mahama highlighted how the Ghana Card had evolved beyond a simple identity document, describing it as the backbone of a digitally sovereign and competitive economy.
He further noted that the system was so robust that other African countries were seeking to replicate Ghana’s model.
“I recently received a request from the DR Congo asking for a reference on Moses [Baiden], CEO of Margins ID Group, and the Ghana Card system. They wanted to know if they had done a good job. I said yes, they did,” President Mahama stated.
2. May 2025: Ghana Card to Anchor New Road Toll System
At the same event, President Mahama expressed admiration for how the Ghana Card had been integrated with public services, including vehicle registration, announcing that it would anchor a new road toll collection system.
“Every vehicle is now linked to its owner’s Ghana Card. We no longer need old toll booths. We simply capture an image of your vehicle, and the charge is sent directly to your mobile money or bank account,” the President explained.
3. September 2025: NIA Boss Admits Ghana Card Has E-Passport Features
In an interview with Joy News, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Yayra Koku, acknowledged that the Ghana Card possesses e-passport features.
This admission followed years of public ridicule directed at Dr Bawumia by some political opponents, despite an ICAO event in Canada that officially recognised the Ghana Card’s e-passport capabilities.
The NIA CEO’s public confirmation effectively vindicated the former Vice President’s position.
4. December 2025: Ghana Card Made Mandatory for All Insurance TransactionsIn December 2025, the government announced that the Ghana Card would become mandatory for all insurance transactions from January 2026.
A notice issued by the National Insurance Commission (NIC) stated that customers would be required to present a valid Ghana Card before completing any insurance-related transaction, including the purchase or renewal of policies.
5. January 2026: No Ghana Card, No Forex Transaction
In another decisive move, the government introduced strict measures requiring the use of the Ghana Card for all foreign exchange bureau transactions as part of efforts to curb money laundering and other financial crimes.
The Bank of Ghana and the Financial Intelligence Centre jointly announced the policy, mandating forex bureaux to demand a Ghana Card from all customers before conducting transactions.
6. January 2026: Ghana Card Compulsory for All Banking Transactions
To further tighten controls against fraud in the financial sector, the government, in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana, issued a revised and stringent Supervisory Guidance Note making the Ghana Card the mandatory identification document for all accountable institutions and financial transactions.
Although issued in the last quarter of 2025, the directive was formally published on the Bank of Ghana’s website on January 8, 2026, introducing rigorous verification procedures for both new and existing customers using the Ghana Card.
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