'Ghana Card at Birth': Football age would no longer exist in Ghana – NIA boss

The executive secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, has touted the benefit of the 'Ghana Card at Birth' initiative, which was launched by the government on Thursday, March 14, 2024.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative in Accra, Prof Ken Attafuah said that registering children at birth would put to bed issues such as age cheating, which is popular known as ‘football age’ in Ghana, and challenges of identifying Ghanaians from non-Ghanaians.

“Contestations of our age, contestations of our citizenship identification, all of this will become a thing of the past. As we say, the football age will no longer exist.

“And with that all other falsehoods, all other centres of contestation, will begin to evaporate,” he said.

The NIA boss also said that the National Identity Register can be used to vote in the 2024 general elections because it has a proper record of Ghanaians.

“Our national elections will be cleaner. In my personal view, we should be able to rely on the National Identity Register to vote as Ghanaians because we have the cleanest moment in our history and future.”

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched the ‘Ghana Card Number at Birth’ initiative at the Ga North Hospital in Ofankor in the Greater Accra Region.

The initiative would ensure that every child born in Ghana receives a unique identity number.

However, their Ghana Card will be handed to the child when he or she reaches 15 years old.

It formed part of efforts by the government to ensure that every Ghanaian has a Ghana card to enable them to easily access basic social services.

Watch the NIA boss’ remarks below:

'Ghana card at birth': Implementation of identification at birth will bring an end to “football age" - Prof. Ken Attafuah. #JoyNews pic.twitter.com/Pm3EjclVUh

— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) March 14, 2024