Mr. David Kumi Addo, Executive Director of CARE Ghana, has called for the adoption of the Ghana Card as the sole identification document for voting in all public elections and referenda in the country, describing it as the most credible, efficient, and comprehensive form of national identification available.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem programme with Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra, Mr. Addo argued that the Ghana Card was specifically designed to serve as the primary identification document for major national transactions and should therefore be extended to electoral processes.
According to him, Ghana has spent substantial public resources over the years conducting voter registration exercises and issuing voter identification cards, despite now having a more reliable national identification system in place.
“The Ghana Card has become Ghana’s most credible and comprehensive identification document. There is no justification for maintaining a separate voter identification system when a reliable national database already exists,” he said.
Mr. Addo noted that the Ghana Card is already widely used for banking services, passport applications, SIM card registration, taxation, access to social services, and numerous other public transactions. He added that more Ghanaians possess Ghana Cards than valid voter ID cards, making it a more inclusive tool for electoral participation.
He stressed that every eligible Ghanaian should have an equal opportunity to vote and that the Ghana Card provides a fair and dependable means of verifying voter eligibility.
The CARE Ghana Executive Director further argued that adopting the Ghana Card as the sole voter identification document would save the nation millions of cedis by eliminating the need for separate voter registration exercises, voter ID card production, and related administrative activities.
According to him, the resources saved could be redirected towards voter education, election technology, election security, and other initiatives aimed at strengthening democratic governance.
Mr. Addo also maintained that the reform would enhance transparency and credibility in Ghana’s electoral system while reducing opportunities for electoral fraud, impersonation, and multiple registrations.
He explained that a unified national identification system would help minimize disputes and tensions that often arise during voter registration exercises and election periods.
“Periodic voter registration exercises have become some of the most politically contentious activities on Ghana’s electoral calendar, generating allegations of manipulation, voter suppression, disputes over eligibility requirements, and unnecessary political polarization,” he observed.
CARE Ghana believes that using the Ghana Card as the sole source document for determining voter eligibility would establish a more objective, transparent, and verifiable system for electoral participation.
The organization also highlighted the security advantages of the Ghana Card, noting that its biometric and demographic features make it more secure and reliable than previous identification systems.
Mr. Addo said CARE Ghana has embarked on a nationwide public education campaign to sensitize citizens on the proposed reform and its potential benefits.
He explained that the organization is engaging various stakeholders and communities to build awareness and support for the initiative, emphasizing that informed citizens are more likely to embrace reforms that strengthen democratic processes.
CARE Ghana further proposed that every Ghanaian citizen who has attained the constitutional voting age and possesses a valid Ghana Card should automatically qualify to vote, subject to the provisions of the Constitution and existing electoral laws.
The organization has therefore called on Parliament, the Electoral Commission, the National Identification Authority, political parties, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to initiate a national dialogue on the legislative reforms required to make the Ghana Card the sole identification document for voting in Ghana.
Mr. Addo concluded that transitioning to the Ghana Card as the exclusive voter identification credential would promote electoral integrity, improve administrative efficiency, reduce election-related costs, and further consolidate Ghana’s democratic gains.
He expressed confidence that the reform would help Ghana conduct more transparent, inclusive, peaceful, and cost-effective elections in the years ahead.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah