The National Identification Authority (NIA) says it is making provision for the update of personal information services to the general public at its 16 regional offices and card replacement services as well as its 275 Operational District Offices nationwide.
According NIA, any Ghanaian who wishes to update its personal information such as change or correction of personal data and card replacement services can do so on Monday August 8, 2022.
In a statement released August 5, 2022, the Authority further said on Monday September 12, 2022, update of personal information service will be decentralized to its 275 Operational District Offices.
NIA again mentioned that, continuous registration services already taking place at the Regional and District Offices will run alongside the services stated above.
The Authority emphasizes that these operational measures have been instituted in line with its operational strategy for continuous registration and provision of identity management services across the country.
It is also in response to the extension of the deadline announced by the Minister for Communications and Digitalization for SIM Card Reregistration. This will provide many Ghanaians in need of these services the opportunity to do so ahead of the new deadline.
The Ghana Card is the primary and sole identity card for SIM re-registration and for other official requirements in state and private institutions.
The rollout of a mass registration and issuance of the Ghana Card has been marred by minor chaos and long queues across the country.
The registration of SIM cards was scheduled to end on March 31, 2022, but was extended to the end of July.
Stakeholders had called for an extension of the date following the chaos recorded at some centres and the struggle by some Ghanaians to secure their Ghana cards.
Amid these concerns, the government has extended the deadline for registration again to September 30.
Read the announcement in full below
ATIONAL IDENTIFICATION AUTHORITY
PRESS RELEASE
PROVISION OF UPDATE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION SERVICES AT 16 NIA
REGIONAL OFFICES AND CARD REPLACEMENT SERVICES AT 275 NIA
OPERATIONAL DISTRICT OFFICES
5th August 2022
The National Identification Authority (NIA) announces for the information of the general public that it will provide Update of Personal Information (change or correction of personal data) and
Card Replacement Services across its Regional and Operational District Offices as follows:
1. Monday, 8th August, 2022 – Update of Personal Information Service at the 16 Regional Offices.
2. Monday, 8th August, 2022 – Ghana Card Replacement Service at all the 275 Operational District
Offices; and
3. Monday, 12th September, 2022 Update of Personal Information Service will be decentralized to the 275 Operational District Offices.
Continuous Registration Services already taking place at the Regional and District Offices will run alongside the services stated above, while Card Replacement Service currently being offered at the 16 Regional Offices will cease from Monday, 8th August, 2022.
Applicants requesting the Update of Personal Information Service must observe the following guidelines:
1. Applicants need to complete and sign an electronic Update Request Form at the Regional Office.
2. Any update, which changes the information printed on the face of the Ghana Card already issued to an applicant, will attract a fee of Gh¢30.00.
The list of updates that attract a fee of Gh¢30.00 is as follows:
a. Change or Correction of Applicant’s Name.
b. Change or Correction of the order of Applicant’s Name.
c. Correction or Addition of Applicant’s Previous Name or Maiden Name.
d. Correction of Applicant’s Date of Birth.
e. Change or Correction of the Nationality of Applicant.
f. Correction of Applicant’s Gender
g. Change or Correction of Applicant’s Height
3. All other updates, which do not result in the printing of a new Ghana Card for an applicant, are FREE of charge.
The list of free updates is as follows:
a. Change or Correction of Residential Address.
b. Change or Correction of Digital Address Code
c. Change or Addition of Postal Address.
d. Correction of Hometown details.
e. Correction of Place of Birth details.
f. Addition or Change of telephone numbers and/or email address.
g. Change of Marital Status.
h. Addition or Change of Government IDs e.g Voter ID Card, SSNIT Card, NHIS Card.
i. Change of Disability Status.
i. Change or Addition of details of Spouse.
k. Change of Next-of-Kin details.
l. Correction of details of Parents.
m. Change of Level of Education.
n. Change of occupation.
o. Change or Correction of color of hair and/or eyes.
4. The Gh¢30.00 fee for all fee-paying update services must be made with either the:
a. CalBank Mobile Banking Platform with short code *771#; or
b. CalBank Online Mobile App, or
c. At a CalBank Branch Office
NB NIA will not accept cash payments for the update service at any of its Regional Offices.
5. All applicants for the update service will be required to provide the reason for the update and must support the request with evidence.
Examples of the documents required to update personal information are as follows:
a. Correction of Name/Correction of spelling or order of Name – Birth Certificate or passport used during registration for the Ghana Card that shows the correct name of the applicant.
b. Change of Name Gazette Notification confirming applicant’s Name Change (affidavits will not be accepted).
c. Correction of Date of Birth – A Birth Certificate or Ghana Passport used by the applicant during registration for his/her Ghana Card.
NB – NIA will not change an applicant’s date of birth but will only correct the date of birth if it was wrongly captured during registration for the Ghana Card.
d. Addition of or change of details of Institutional 1Ds – Document/1D from the relevant institution confirming the details.
e. Correction of names of father and/or mother – A document that existed before the applicants registration for the Ghana Card and confirms the names of the parents eg. a Birth Certificate or a Marriage Certificate of the applicant.
f. Change from a foreign nationality to Ghanaian (foreigners) – A Certificate of Naturalization, an Oath of Allegiance document, and the Non-Citizen Ghana Card of the applicant.
g. Change from foreign nationality to Ghanaian (dual citizens) – A Birth Certificate that confirms the nationality of the applicant, a Dual-Citizenship Card if the applicant has one, and a valid Ghana Passport if the applicant has one.
h. Change of occupation documentary evidence supporting the change such as a professional certificate of the applicant or record of employment.
i. Change of level of education – Applicant’s school seconds confirming course taken
or new educational level.
j. Change of Disability Status-Statement or letter on a hospital or doctor’s or medical professionals letterhead, statements, records or letters from an agency of Government that issues or provides disability benefits.
Applicants requesting the Card Replacement Service at the District Offices must observe the following guidelines:
1. Applicants will be required to complete and sign an electronic Card Replacement Request Form at the District Office.
2. Replacement of lost, stolen, damaged or defective cards will attract a fee of Gh¢30.00 which must be made with either the;
a. CalBank Mobile Banking Platform with short code *771#; or
b. CalBank Online Mobile App; or
c At a CalBank Branch Office.
NB- NIA will not accept cash payments for the replacement service.
3. All Applicants must make the request in person.
4. All applications must be supported with a Police Extract, and
5. Applicants must bring along their damaged or defective Ghana Cards where applicable.
Applicants should also take note that not every request for an update or replacement will be handled on the day it is made. Review of requests may take longer than a day. Applicants will be required to pay the statutory fee only when requests are approved and NOT before.
NIA emphasizes that these operational measures have been instituted in line with its operational strategy for continuous registration and provision of identity management services across the country.
It is also in response to the extension of the deadline announced by the Minister for Communications and Digitalization for SIM Card Reregistration. This will provide many Ghanaians in need of these services the opportunity to do so ahead of the new deadline.
SIGNED
Dr. Abudu Abdul-Ganiyu
Ag. Head, Corporate Affairs.
By Vincent Kubi