Moses K. Baiden, Chief Executive Officer of Margins ID Group, recently highlighted the remarkable progress and success of the Ghana Card project during a stakeholder engagement session organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation.
The project, aimed at providing a robust national identification system, has set a new benchmark in Africa.
Reflecting on the initial stages, Mr. Baiden detailed the substantial investment and efforts that have gone into the project over the years.
"In the first ten years, we invested over $150 million," he noted.
"Despite the significant expenditure, only 900,000 cards were delivered initially. If you divide even $100 million by 900,000, the cost per card was exorbitantly high. However, we have made tremendous strides since then."
Between 2019 and 2020, amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project registered an impressive 15.7 million people within a year.
"The difficulties we faced were immense, but we overcame them, proving the system's design and efficiency," Mr. Baiden said.
"We reached a registration capacity of up to 250,000 people a day, utilizing only about two-thirds of our full potential. This allowed us to register 85% of the population and issue cards free of charge."
As of now, the project boasts nearly 18 million registered individuals, with over 17.8 million cards printed.
"Ghana's national ID project stands as the most successful in Africa," Moses Baiden declared.
"We've received inquiries from seven other African countries who are keen to understand and replicate our model."
The engagement session also addressed the project's financial sustainability and operational efficiency.
"Our model allowed us to provide these cards free of charge, unlike many other countries. This achievement has garnered international attention and acclaim," he added.
Moreover, the project has maintained a low error rate, with only about 195,000 cards requiring corrections.
This meticulous attention to detail and commitment to excellence has solidified Ghana's position as a leader in national identification systems on the continent.
The Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, in collaboration with Margins ID Group, continues to prioritize stakeholder engagement to ensure the project's ongoing success and adaptability.
The comprehensive implementation of the Ghana Card is set to revolutionize identification processes, enhance security, and streamline public and private sector operations across the country.
Background
Margins ID Group, a pioneering company with a 34-year legacy in Ghana, is now a global leader in digital identity solutions.
With operations and subsidiaries in multiple countries, our mission is to leverage digital intellectual property to elevate African businesses on the global stage.
Founded in 1990, Margins ID initially focused on print publishing and financial documents.
By 1995, we shifted our focus to identity solutions, establishing Margins ID Systems in 1998, now Margins ID Group.
It is instrumental in the fusion of banking and IT technologies, leading to the production of our first ID cards in 2006.
Today, the company employs over 500 people worldwide, with teams in Rio, Silicon Valley, India, and Singapore.
Margins ID Group is proud to be the first EFV-certified card production facility in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa.
Its facility meets the highest security standards, certified by Intergraph, allowing us to produce secure documents and currency-level security cards.
Margins ID Group has been at the forefront of Ghana's digital transformation.
It is now transitioning to using the Ghana card as the sole register for voting, following extensive coverage of over 98% of the adult population.
This system ensures clean and secure elections, reducing the risk of fraud and improving governance.
The Ghana card's integration into banking and other services has streamlined processes, allowing for instant account openings and mobile money transfers.
This efficient system has significant implications for disaster management, tax collection, and overall economic growth.
Its innovative approach has not only inspired other industries but has also demonstrated that world-class companies can be built in Africa.
Margins ID Group is dedicated to proving that Ghanaian companies can compete and thrive globally.
Story: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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