Ghana has just upgraded its National Identity card, as the card now enables its holders, to travel across 97 borders and 44,000 airports in the globe; starting from Wednesday, the 9th of February 2022.
Holders of the Card will therefore be permitted to board any flight to Ghana by simply showing this magnificent Ghana card.
This development is chaired by a recognition of the Ghana Card as a global electronic passport; verified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) compliant borders.
At a ceremony held at the International Civil Aviation Organization in Montreal in Canada on Wednesday; Ghana was presented officially with a certificate, that recognizes Ghana Card as an e-passport; And it is acceptable in 44,00 commercial airports worldwide.
Speaking at the event, Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, received the token, which signified Ghana’s recognition by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
What Ghana’s High Commissioner had to say
The Honorable High Commissioner Ransford Sowah said it made Ghana one of the few countries in the world; where the national ID card also has an e-passport capability.
He added that For Ghanaians living or born in the diaspora; holders of the Ghana Card can be allowed to board any flight to Ghana; without any visa requirement as they seek to give an inclusive Akwaaba experience; to all children and descendants of their motherland.
The Plan
It was revealed last year in November by Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia that the Ghana card will be recognized as an electronic passport globally by the end of the first quarter of 2022.
According to Dr. Bawumia, the Ghana Card; which will have embedded microchip carrying information about the holder; can be read and verified in all International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) complaint borders.
“When this happens, holders of the Ghana Card will be allowed to board any flight to Ghana. Furthermore, the good news for Ghanaians in diaspora is that when the Ghana Immigration Service is linked to the NIA architecture; Ghanaians in diaspora who hold the Ghana card should not have to obtain visas to travel to Ghana” he added.
The statement was made by the Vice President on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at the Ashesi University Campus while addressing the topic: “Transforming an economy through digitalization: The Ghana story.”
Giving more details, Dr. Bawumia said government has been engaging the International Civil Aviation Organization; to globally activate the e-passport function of the Ghana card.
In the meeting he said he was happy to announce that on the 13th of October 2021; Ghana officially became the 79th member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Public Key Directory (PKD) community. Ghana’s Country Signing Certificate Authority would therefore soon be imported; into the ICAO PKD System through what is known as a Key ceremony.
This key ceremony for Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia further added will be held at the ICAO Headquarters in Montreal Canada by the 1st quarter of 2022.
The event which held on Wednesday, February 9 in Canada, is therefore an actualization of the Vice President’s comments in November, last year.
I live int the USA, how can I get this card?