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The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has issued a strict directive prohibiting banks from photocopying Ghana Cards for customer verification, insisting that biometric verification be the standard for identity authentication.
This decision aligns with the National Identity Register Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2111), and aims to eliminate fraud risks associated with outdated verification methods such as visual inspections and lookup lists.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement in Accra, Deputy Head of the Financial Integrity Office at BoG, Ashitei Trebi-Ollennu, emphasised the dangers of photocopying Ghana Cards.
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“We have never said that banks should photocopy Ghana Cards. Photocopying leaves room for fraud and compromises the integrity of transactions,” he stated.
Instead, banks are required to authenticate customers’ identities through the biometric verification system linked to the National Identification database.
The engagement, themed “Protect Every Transaction with Biometric Verification,” was organised by Identity Management Systems II (IMS II) Ltd. in collaboration with the National Identification Authority (NIA). It brought together BoG, the Ghana Association of Banks (GAB), NIA, and representatives from Ghana’s 25 universal banks.
Real-time biometric verification eliminates impersonation and identity theft, removes reliance on easily forged physical documents, ensures instant authentication with the National Identity Register (NIR), and aligns with international security standards.
IMS II Ltd.’s Executive Director, James Cantamantu-Koomson, emphasised this shift, stating, “Identity is at the centre of our financial system. The NIA database is one of the most powerful assets we have as a country.”
Legal experts at the event reaffirmed that the Ghana Card is the sole identification document for banking transactions. The NIA’s Head of Legal, Teresa Eson-Benjamin, clarified that all financial institutions must comply with this legal requirement.
The engagement fostered discussions on improving information exchange between banks, the BoG, and the NIA to enhance verification efficiency.
Key figures present included:
- John Awuah (CEO, Ghana Association of Banks)
- Audrey Mireku (Banking Operations, Risk & Cybersecurity)
- Ashitei Trebi-Ollennu (Deputy Head, Financial Integrity Office, BoG)
- Naa Welbeck (Head of Supervision Unit, Financial Integrity Office, BoG)
Technology and biometric experts from NIA and executives from all 25 universal banks in Ghana also participated.
By the end of the engagement, a strong consensus emerged: “Trust but verify” must be the guiding principle in Ghana’s financial sector.
The full transition to biometric-based verification will not only enhance security but also position Ghana as a leader in digital identity verification, ensuring a robust and fraud-proof financial ecosystem.
