Aisha Huang has no Ghana Card – NIA
The National Identification Authority (NIA) says it has no records of a Non-Citizen Identity Ghana card by name Aisha Huang.
A press release signed by Dr Abudu-Abdul Ganiyu, its Director of Corporate Affairs, said the only name they had for the said foreign national “pictured” was Huang En, which was registered in 2014.
“On February 26, 2014, a Chinese woman named Huang En registered as a first time applicant for a foreigner identity card at the Foreigner Identification Management System (FIMS) registration centre at Nhyiaeso, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region.
“Her biometrics were captured and she was issued with a Non-citizen Ghana Card. She subsequently did two more renewals on August 31, 2016 and January 8, 2018, using the same details and Chinese passport number G39575625. Throughout all these registrations, her details remained unchanged,” the Authority stressed.
However, the NIA said there was an attempt of a registration as a first timer with a name Ruixia Huang by the same person on August 25, 2022 at a registration centre in Tamale, Northern Region.
The NIA said the registration officer, therefore, sent a request to the technical support team for further investigations, saying, it was revealed that, based on the biometrics provided, Ruixia Huang had previously registered as En Huang under the NIS database.
“As per NIA’s normal registration process, En Huang was asked to provide an official certified affidavit and a gazette as required by law to support the change of name if the details in the passport with number EJ5891162 were to be used to update her old records,” the Authority said.
It said En Huang was then given the option of waiting to bring in the required documents before her details could be updated or renewed her old registration with her Personal ID Number CHN-010039480-J, without any change in details.
The NIA further stated that she opted to renew with her old details and then go through the affidavit and gazette process after, which she would then provide the documents for the update to be done.
The NIA said her renewed Non-Citizen Ghana Card was then issued to her on August 25, 2022, bearing the old details, adding that, the card was what was now impugned and trending on social media.
“The NIA’s verification system functioned as designed to enable NIA prevent Huang En from registering under a new name and date of birth for a new Non-Citizen Ghana Card despite her being in possession of two Chinese passports,” the NIA added.
The Authority said the possession of the Non-Citizen Ghana Card did not confer or amount to having Ghanaian citizenship.
Since 2012, the NIA law has required all foreigners permanently resident in Ghana for 90 days or longer, who are not diplomats or representatives of international non-governmental organizations, to register for and acquire the national identity card of Ghana.
The card issued to such qualified foreigners is the Non-Citizen Identity Card and is so captioned in captalised red lettering above the card holder’s personal details.
This distinguishing information in red does not appear on the Ghana Card meant for Ghanaian citizens.
The qualified foreign applicants pay a statutory fee of $120.00 for the Non-Citizen Identity Card, which is valid for one year and renewable every year at a fee of $60.00.
Source: GNA