Muntaka: NIA clears Ghana Card backlog, registers 418,000 children

Interior Minister Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka says the National Identification Authority (NIA) has cleared almost all outstanding Ghana Card backlogs and registered more than 418,000 children under its ongoing child registration programme.

The Minister made the announcement on Monday, August 24, 2026, during the Government Accountability Series, where he outlined key achievements recorded by the Authority under the current administration.

According to Mr Muntaka, the NIA inherited a significant backlog of unissued Ghana Cards but has since worked to resolve nearly all pending applications.

“I must commend the Executive Secretary. We came to meet a huge backlog, and as we stand today, we have cleared almost every backlog in terms of the card that people were supposed to have,” he said.

The Interior Minister noted that the Ghana Card continues to play an increasingly important role in identity verification across both public and private institutions. He disclosed that more than 125 million biometric verification transactions were processed in 2025.

Mr Muntaka further revealed that as of August 13, 2026, 38 additional institutions had joined the NIA’s verification platform, bringing the total number of institutions and organisations using the system to about 284.

He also announced that the NIA’s data centre has been fully insured for the first time, describing the move as a major step in protecting the country’s national identification infrastructure.

“The NIA data centre was not insured, can you imagine, since we started, whereas it was supposed to be so. But thank God, under His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, the data centre at the National Identification Authority is now fully insured,” he stated.

On child registration, Mr Muntaka said the NIA has begun registering children between six and 15 years in the Oti, Northern and Volta regions.

He disclosed that approximately 418,000 children have so far been registered, with about 397,000 already receiving their Ghana Cards. Of the total number registered, around 316,000 are school-going children.

The Minister encouraged parents and guardians to continue taking advantage of the exercise, stressing that registration remains open and free of charge.

“It is ongoing. If you go to any of our registration centres now with your child who is between 6 and 15, they will register him. The mass registration was to create awareness. Once we finish the region, those centres are open for the children to go and register, and it is free, so don’t let anybody ask you to pay any money,” Mr Muntaka said.

He urged the public to report any individual demanding payment for the registration of children, insisting that the exercise is completely free.