Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has revealed that starting in July 2023, newborn babies will be issued Ghana Card numbers at hospitals across Ghana.
This decision follows the successful integration of the databases of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Ghana Health Service (GHS), and Births and Deaths Registry.
During his address at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) International Women’s Conference in London on June 10, 2022, the Vice President addressed concerns related to fake birth certificates, bureaucracy, and corruption at the Births and Deaths Registry. Dr. Bawumia assured attendees that measures have been taken to tackle these issues. By digitalizing processes and linking the systems of the Births and Deaths Registry, Ghana Health Service, and NIA, the Vice President aims to streamline the issuance of Ghana Cards right from birth.
“I have not yet announced in Ghana, I’m happy to announce that the integration of the database of the NIA, GHS, and the Births and Deaths Registry is complete. So from next month, when a child is born in Ghana, we will issue the Ghana Card number right from birth.” he said.
Notably, the National Identification Authority has already registered over 17 million Ghanaians in its system, highlighting the progress achieved in this area.
The plan as earlier mentioned by the Vice President is that, the child grows up, the biometrics would be taken and linked to the Ghana Card number issued at birth.
During the same event, Vice President Bawumia addressed claims made by Alan Kyerematen, a former Trade Minister and aspiring flagbearer of the NPP, suggesting that the party lacks a message for the upcoming 2024 elections. Dr. Bawumia highlighted achievements of the NPP Government since assuming office in 2017, acknowledging that more work remains to be done.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, when you look at this tall list of achievements, one cannot but admit that they are monumental. Let nobody tell you that we don’t have a message for 2024,” said Dr. Bawumia. “I must hasten to add that this does not mean we have done everything we intended to do or ought to have done. There is clearly a lot more to do and we will work hard to do more.”
During his speech, Dr. Bawumia acknowledged the challenges inherited by the government, including high unemployment, a prolonged power crisis (dumsor), a struggling national health insurance system, a near-collapse of the national ambulance service, freeze on public sector employment, a weakened banking sector, rising utility bills, poor economic indicators, low agricultural and industrial growth, and the burden of paying $1 billion annually for an excess energy capacity deal negotiated by the previous NDC administration.
However, the Vice President underscored the various programs, projects, and policies implemented by the NPP Government to address these challenges. He highlighted improvements in the economy, education, healthcare, agriculture, industries, security, energy, and digitization as evidence of the government’s accomplishments.
Concluding his address, Dr. Bawumia assured the audience that the NPP indeed has a message for the 2024 elections. He urged them to consider the monumental achievements and ongoing efforts of the government, emphasizing their commitment to continuous progress and improvement.
