NIA resumes Ghana card registration for children in Volta and Oti Regions

The National Identification Authority (NIA), in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), has announced the resumption of the Ghana Card registration exercise for children aged 6 to 14 years in the Volta and Oti Regions, effective Tuesday, 5th May 2026.

The exercise, according to a statement issued by the Authority, is part of a nationwide initiative to register approximately 3.1 million children. The programme is designed to deepen national identity, inclusion, and strengthen Ghana’s identity system from an early age.

The Volta and Oti Regions will serve as the first phase of the rollout, with each phase expected to run for at least 21 days to ensure full coverage.

According to NIA, registration teams will move from school to school, covering both public and private institutions. Children within the eligible age group who are not enrolled in school may also register at designated centres.

Registration will take place daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

To complete the registration process, parents or guardians must present supporting identification documents, such as the child’s original birth certificate, a valid Ghanaian passport, or a Certificate of Acquired Citizenship.

Where these are unavailable, a parent, relative, or legal guardian may complete an Oath of Identity form. In cases involving children without known relatives, two Social Welfare Officers may vouch for the child under oath”, the statement read.

The NIA further encouraged parents and guardians enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to provide the child’s NHIS card or number during registration to facilitate verification.

The Authority noted that children who participated in the 2024 pilot registration exercise but have not yet received their Ghana Cards are advised to visit the respective NIA District Offices where they registered to collect them.

The NIA urged parents, guardians, and Social Welfare Officers in the Volta and Oti Regions to take full advantage of the exercise, stressing that providing false information or aiding the registration of non-Ghanaians constitutes an offence punishable by law.

The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to building a secure, inclusive, and reliable national identity system for all Ghanaians.