NIA begins Ghana Card registration for children aged 6-14 years in Northern Region
The National Identification Authority (NIA), working in partnership with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has launched the nationwide Ghana Card registration exercise for children aged six to 14 in the Northern Region.
The registration drive, which commenced on Thursday, June 11, is part of a broader national initiative aimed at enrolling all eligible Ghanaian children into the country’s identification system. The exercise follows the successful completion of similar registrations in the Volta and Oti regions.
Authorities are also carrying out a mop-up exercise to capture children who were unable to participate during the earlier phase.
According to a statement issued by the NIA, registration teams will visit both public and private schools throughout the region to ensure maximum coverage and participation.
The exercise will run daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Children who are not enrolled in school will also have the opportunity to register at designated centres or selected schools within their communities.
The Authority urged parents and guardians to provide the required documentation during registration. Acceptable documents include the child’s original birth certificate, a valid Ghanaian passport, or a certificate of acquired citizenship.
Where such documents are unavailable, a parent, relative, or legal guardian may complete an Oath of Identity form to facilitate the registration process. For children without identifiable relatives, two Social Welfare officers may attest to the child’s identity under oath.
Parents and guardians have also been encouraged to provide the child’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card or NHIS number, where available.
The NIA further explained that anyone presenting a child for registration must be a Ghanaian citizen, at least 18 years old, mentally competent, and possess a valid Ghana Card.
The Authority called on parents, guardians, school administrators, traditional authorities, and community leaders in the Northern Region to support the exercise to ensure all eligible children are registered.
It also warned against the submission of false information or the registration of non-Ghanaian children, stressing that such actions constitute offences punishable by law.
The NIA reiterated its commitment to developing a secure, inclusive, and reliable national identity database that captures every eligible Ghanaian and ensures they are properly recognised and accounted for.
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