Operations of The National Identification Authority Ghana
The National Identification Authority, a Ghanaian governmental institution is always on the lips of many but hardly do they know the institution’s mandate and responsibilities.
Under what constitutional instrument does the NIA operate?
The National Identification Authority was commissioned under a constitutional instrument in 2003. The institution operates within the mandates of the National Identity Register Act, 2008 (Act 750) and the National Identification Authority Act, 2006 (Act 707). These bills were passed by parliament to enable the NIA to legally operate in Ghana and have the authorization to collect and protect the personal and biometric data of their customers.
What does the NIA do then?
The National Identification Authority therefore
- Create a national database or register
- Issue the national database with National Identity Cards (Ghanacards)
- And manage the use of the database.
What services are provided by the NIA?
The services provided by the NIA have been classified into three operatives which are national identity management, database management, and quick services.
Quick services
Under the Quick Services operative, the NIA provides a complete value-added integrated multi-sectoral and multipurpose National Identity System by innovatively using the application of information and communication technology.
The National Identification Authority delivers immediate and needed services to serve the best interests of citizens and non-citizens, individuals, and organizations.
Some of the quick services they provide for individuals and organizations are; registration, renewal, update, replacement, personal information verification, expedited registration, data sharing, identity verification via online validation, signature verification, biometric verification, and production of identity cards for institutions
National identity management services
The NIA provides national Identity management services to create, maintain, provide, and promote the use of national identity cards to advance economic, political and social activities in the country. They also issue Ghana cards to foreign but permanent residents in Ghana.
The NIA employs the use of AFIS systems with complete biometric enrollment system and powerful identity management features to capture data of their customers. They also deploy a modular nature and customizable workflow of identity solutions to make it perfect and feasible for any institution to implement the capturing and verification of biometric data.
National database management services
Managing the national database has been the duty of the National Identification Authority since its establishment. The national database contains a vast amount of sensitive and secure citizen and non-citizen data and a team at NIA ensures that data operations use the most secure protocols available.
The databases are backed up daily to ensure citizen information is secure. While maintaining the database they provide: daily data back-ups, monthly database updates including Address Accuracy (AA) and National Change of Address (NCOA), and optional refresh of existing database
How do you contact the NIA?
To get in touch with the National Identification Authority, you can visit their headquarters at No. 8 Nelson Mandela Avenue, Off Gulf House Street, South Legon, Accra, Ghana with digital address GA – 237 – 1033. You can also visit their nationwide branches or put them up on a call using these numbers;
- +233) 302-99-9306 – 9
- (+233) 302-73-8333
- (+233) 242-43-8615
Or you can contact them through an email at info@nia.gov.gh
If you’ve always wanted to know more about the NIA, then this article is a golden piece.