The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchway has revealed that the Ghana Card cannot be used as a sole document for the purposes of international travelling yet.
Appearing in parliament on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, the Minister clarified that the passport and travel certificate remain the official documents for travelling outside the country.
She was responding to questions when she appeared before the House.
“The Ghana Card is not a replacement for the current biometric passport. The Ghana card serves as an optional travel document to be used in tandem with our biometric passport. It must be underscored that the passport together with the traffic certificates are the only approved travel documents that are internationally recognized”, she said.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Baeumia had stated that card has fully met the requirements for an E-passport, despite a rejection by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
He further posited that the Ghana card would be recognised as an electronic passport in 197 countries by 2022.
But Shirley Ayorkor Botchway on the floor of Parliament said “At the moment, the Ghana Card cannot be used for travelling to other countries, either within or outside of ECOWAS. That will require bilateral agreements with countries for their authorities to accept the card as a travel document. The Ministry is in active discussions with ECOWAS member states and our bilateral partners to achieve this”.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana