Bank of Ghana Warns Banks Against Photocopying Ghana Cards
The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has issued a stern warning to financial institutions, cautioning them against photocopying the National Identification Card (Ghana Card) for transactions. The central bank emphasized that such practices pose a security risk and could result in severe penalties.
According to the Deputy Head of Financial Integrity at the BoG, Ashitei Trebi-Ollennu, biometric verification remains the gold standard for identity authentication. He stressed that photocopying Ghana Cards creates vulnerabilities that fraudsters could exploit, ultimately jeopardizing banking transactions.“We have never said that banks should photocopy Ghana Cards. Photocopying leaves room for fraud and compromises the integrity of transactions,” Trebi-Ollennu stated. Instead, he urged banks to utilize the biometric verification system integrated with the National Identification database to ensure a more secure financial ecosystem.
Trebi-Ollennu reiterated this directive during a forum on identity verification in financial transactions, organized by Identity Management Systems II (IMS II) Ltd in partnership with the National Identification Authority (NIA). The event, themed “Protect Every Transaction with Biometric Verification,” gathered key industry players, including regulators, banking professionals, and ICT experts, to discuss the role of identity verification in financial security.
The forum highlighted biometric verification as the most effective method for safeguarding transactions. IMS II Ltd’s Executive Director, James Cantamantu-Koomson, underscored the importance of adopting strong identity management systems. He called on financial institutions to enhance their security frameworks, ensuring public confidence and a more resilient financial sector.
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