Contrary to the make belief that the Ghana Card also functions equally as a passport that could enables the bearer to gain entry to other countries, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has stated that it is not so.
She made this clarification in the floor of Parliament, stating emphatically that the Ghana Card is not an E-passport whilst responding to a question by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu about whether the Ghana Card is an e-passport or not.
In her response, the minister said, “It is not. By its definition, it is not. The Ghana Card is not a replacement for our current biometric passport. Ghana Card may serve as an optional travel document to be used in tandem with our biometric passport.
“It must be underscored that the passport, together with the travel certificate is the only approved travel document for the Ghanaian, they are internationally recognized“.
“At the moment, the Ghana Card cannot be used for travel to other countries either outside of ECOWAS as that will require bilateral agreement with countries for their authorities to accept the card as a travel document. The Ministry is in active discussion with ECOWAS member states and our bilateral partners to achieve this.”