The Africa Centre for Digital Transformation (ACDT) has called on the National Identification Authority (NIA), the Bank of Ghana (BoG), and financial institutions to ensure the Ghana Card functions as an ATM card.

In a press statement, ACDT praised the NIA for advancing Ghana’s digital identity agenda and urged all stakeholders to collaborate in integrating the Ghana Card into financial transactions.

“The integration of the Ghana Card into banking, initiated by the previous government, will significantly boost financial inclusion, security, and convenience for millions of Ghanaians,” the statement noted.

ACDT outlined several key steps to achieve this vision, beginning with linking all bank accounts to the Ghana Card through a secure national database. This would enable users to make ATM withdrawals, transfers, and payments using their Ghana Card.

To enhance security, ACDT recommended the inclusion of biometric authentication and PIN verification for ATM and POS systems, allowing users to verify transactions with either their fingerprints or a unique PIN linked to their Ghana Card.

The organization also urged banks to upgrade their ATM infrastructure to recognize the Ghana Card’s embedded chip and encouraged retailers to adopt POS systems compatible with Ghana Card transactions.

Additionally, ACDT emphasized the importance of clear legal and security guidelines from the Bank of Ghana and financial regulators to protect users from fraud and cyber threats.

Public education was another critical area of focus, with ACDT calling for a nationwide campaign to educate Ghanaians on how to link their Ghana Card to bank accounts and safely use it for financial transactions.

“We urge the NIA, Bank of Ghana, and all major financial institutions to fast-track efforts to make the Ghana Card a functional ATM card, offering millions of Ghanaians seamless and secure access to financial services,” the statement concluded.