NIA cautions banks against relying on photocopies of Ghana cards

The National Identification Authority (NIA) is urging institutions, especially banks, to stop relying on photocopies of Ghana Cards for identity verification, describing the practice as unsafe and prone to fraud.

This was revealed by the Executive Secretary of the Authority, Mr. Yayra Koku, at a press conference to mark Identity Day at the NIA head office in Accra.

The event was held under the theme “My Identity, My Umbrella.”

Mr. Koku explained that photocopies of ID cards do not prove that the person presenting the card is the rightful owner or that they were physically present at the point of transaction.

He noted that only biometric verification, through fingerprints or facial recognition, can confirm the true identity of an individual.

He recounted cases of fraud, including an incident in which a businessman lost $1.5 million after a fake card was used because biometric verification was not carried out.

He stressed that biometric authentication also provides a timestamp, which records that the individual was present at the institution at a particular time.

The Acting Head of Legal at the NIA, Mrs. Theresa Eson-Benjamin, added that while photocopying an ID card is not a crime, it is not a process encouraged by the Authority.

She explained that photocopy-based verification has led to several cases of impersonation and identity theft reported to the police.

Mrs. Eson-Benjamin revealed that the NIA was working on amendments to its regulations to penalize institutions that fail to use biometric verification when it is available.

She urged citizens to insist on biometric checks at banks and other service providers to protect their identities and reduce the risk of fraud.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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