Ghana’s National Identification Card, Popularly known as the “Ghana Card,” will allow holders to travel across about 97 borders and 44,000 airports throughout the world starting on Wednesday, February 9, 2021.
As a result, holders of the Ghana Card will be able to board any flight to Ghana just by showing their Ghana card.
What is an e-passport?
An e-passport is sometimes called a biometric passport. It is a traditional passport with an implanted electronic microprocessor chip that carries biometric data that may be used to verify the passport holder’s identity.
Ghana Card now an e-passport
This comes after the Ghana Card was recognized as a global electronic passport by conforming borders of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Ghana was formally awarded with a certificate certifying the Ghana Card as an e-passport, admissible in 44,00 commercial airports globally, at a ceremony at the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal, Canada, on Wednesday, February 9, 2022.
Ransford Sowah, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, received the token, which denoted Ghana’s recognition by the International Civil Aviation Organization, while speaking at the occasion.
Mr Ransford Sowah explained that In order to provide an inclusive Akwaaba experience to all children and descendants of our country, holders of the Ghana Card can board any flight to Ghana without a visa requirement.
“This makes Ghana one of the few countries in the world where the national ID card also has an e-passport capability,” he added.
Background….
This very event in Canada on Wednesday, February 9 is a follow-up to the President’s remarks from November of last year on the Ghana Card.
On Tuesday, November 2, 2021, the Vice President made the announcement while speaking on the theme “Transforming an economy through digitalization: The Ghana Story” at the Ashesi University Campus.
Dr. Bawumia went on to say that the government has been working with the International Civil Aviation Organization to internationally activate the Ghana card’s e-passport capability.
As a result, he said, the country has joined the organization’s Public Key Directory community.
This is a fulfillment of what Dr. Bawumia Said.
