In a significant development, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia announced that Ghana will start issuing Ghana Cards to newborn babies at hospitals nationwide, beginning in July. This initiative stems from 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 NPP International Women’s Conference held in London on June 10, 2022, Vice President Bawumia assured attendees that measures had been implemented to address issues such as counterfeit birth certificates, bureaucratic hurdles, and corruption at the Births and Deaths Registry.
By digitalizing the processes and linking the systems of the Births and Deaths Registry, Ghana Health Service, and NIA, Vice President Bawumia aims to streamline the issuance of Ghana Cards right from birth.
Dr. Bawumia expressed his satisfaction with the completion of the integration of the NIA, GHS, and Births and Deaths Registry databases, stating, “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.”
It is worth noting that the National Identification Authority has already registered over 17 million Ghanaians in its system, showcasing the significant progress made in this area.
During the same event, Vice President Bawumia responded to claims made by Alan Kyerematen, a former Trade Minister and aspiring flagbearer of the NPP, who suggested that the party lacks a message for the upcoming 2024 elections. Dr. Bawumia highlighted the achievements of the NPP Government since assuming office in 2017 while 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.
He also acknowledged the challenges inherited by the government, such as high unemployment, a prolonged power crisis (dumsor), a struggling national health insurance system, a near-collapse of the national ambulance service, a 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, Dr. Bawumia emphasized the numerous programs, projects, and policies implemented by the NPP Government to address these challenges. He cited improvements in the economy, education, healthcare, agriculture, industries, security, energy, and digitization as evidence of the government’s accomplishments.
Concluding his address, Dr. Bawumia reassured 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, acknowledging that there is still much work to be done. The commitment to progress and improvement remains a top priority for the government moving forward.
