Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia has disclosed that one of the features on the Ghana Card issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA) includes the credit borrowing system, which can be used to secure loans by workers.
“After a successful implantation of the digitalisation agenda of government and integration of the NIA card, the card bearers would be able to secure a worker’s loan and the banks and other lending agencies will be able to rate the repayment commitment of the customers,” he said.
Speaking during the 2021 awards ceremony and 2022 Civil Service week, the Vice-President explained that despite the challenges and economic downturn, the pandemic has provided opportunity to institute digitalisation in both schools and various sectors of the economy.
Dr Bawumia indicated that digitization has improved productivity and service delivery in the public sector, adding “the government of President Akufo-Addo is poised to create enabling digitalisation structures to further strengthen the economics of the country”.
Impacts of digitisation
The Vice-President also recounted how the citizenry could not move money from one telecommunication network to another. “…but through the introduction of mobile money interoperability in the country of which Ghana is the first across the globe, it has become feasible. The National Identification Authority Card is far better than that of 1000 interchanges built across the country,” he reiterated.
According to him, the NIA card is a unique identity card that can be used to verify whether one is dead or alive through a unique system.
“Following the adoption of Ghanacard, the Social Security National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) had been able to erase the ghost names from the pensions list while the Controller and Accountant General’s Department has also saved some amount which would have been lost due to the irregularities,” he stated.
He said the Ghana card would be used as the tax numbers, noting that “it has also boosted the banking sector since customers are required to scan their Ghana card to create a bank account”.
The Vice-President added that SSNIT will be saving over GHC30 million because they do not need to print identification cards again.
He said the Ghanacard has gone through and met the requirements of International Civil Aviation Organistion (ICAO) standards and recommended practice across the globe.
Technological transformation
Dr. Bawumia indicated that various governments have always based on the development of the country but did not focus on putting in place systems to transform the economy for the development of the country.
“…Improve transparency and fast track the delivery of service as well as allow in arriving at an informed decision at the civil service and adopt accelerated technological solution to meet the agenda 2060 target,” he said.
He further urged the civil service workers to remain calm and work in achieving the agenda of government in building a better country.
The Head of Civil Service, Nana Kwasi Agyakum-Dwamena, said digitalisation has aided the civil service staff in the delivery of quality and responsive service to the public.
He added that this year’s civil service was climaxed with a lot of activities that allowed the “men exhibit their cooking skills and organisation of football competition between the workers”.
According to him, the implementation of the digitalisation has also provided the opportunity to sensitise and improve the relationship between the private sector and the public sector.
Mr Agyakum-Dwamena explained that the purpose of the Civil Service 2021 awards ceremony was to honor and celebrate the hardworking and deserving workers towards the development of the country.
About The Author
