The National Identification Authority (NIA) in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says about 6.3 million children between the ages of 6 to 14 are expected to be registered to have biometric identification cards.
The exercise, the Authority said will begin from October 7 2024 to March 2025, and will cover Ghanaian children in all districts across the country.
The registration exercise will be conducted in 170 operational district offices of NHIA, and about 2, 850,000 children are expected to be registered in five months in the first phase, while the second phase will cover the remaining 106 operational districts of the NIA.
The Authority disclosed an engagement with stakeholders including the media yesterday.
Deputy Director of Operations at NIA, Alfred Gazari, said the children will be issued with smart dual interface biometric Ghana cards which are the same as what was issued to the population above 15 years, but with an inscription of ‘minor’ embossed at the back of the card.
Mr. Gazari mentioned that any individual who presents a child for registration should be a Ghanaian, 18 years old or above, of sound mind and a holder of a GhanaCard. “The person who is permitted to complete a child’s allocation form is a biological parent of the child, legal guardian of the child, a relative of the child and a social welfare officer responsible for the child’s wellbeing,” he added.
Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr. Da-Costa Aboagye, said it was imperative that the identity of citizens were captured to ensure every Ghanaian’s right to health care.
Dr. Aboagye stated that the NIA and NHIA are expected as part of its collaboration to register 6.3 million children, which will lay the foundation for a healthier, more secure future for young children who would be put on the NHIA scheme.
However, the Ghana Card is a secured and multi-purpose card that was established to ensure Ghanaian citizens have a biometric identity for verification and authentication of electronic and physical transactions in both public and private spaces.
