Ghanaian Man Who Couldn't Find His Passport Travels From UK To Ghana With His Ghana Card

Ghanaian Man Who Couldn't Find His Passport Travels From UK To Ghana With His Ghana Card

  • A Ghanaian traveller successfully used the Ghana Card, a digital identification document, to board a flight to Ghana without a physical passport at Heathrow Airport,
  • His friend, facing passport issues, relied on the Ghana Card, confirming Vice President Bawumia's claim about its validity as a travel document
  • The incident highlights the practicality of digital identification and raises questions about the necessity of traditional passports for Ghanaian citizens

A Ghanaian man in the UK has shared his experience of travelling with his Ghana card from the UK to Ghana.

In a Facebook post, another person travelling with the man said his friend has a Ghanaian and British passport. However, he could not find his Ghanaian passport and did not have a visa in his British passport.

Chris Vincent-Agyapong, in his post, said he was surprised at the effectiveness of Ghana's digital identity initiative, the Ghana Card.

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Ghanaian Man Who Couldn't Find His Passport Travel From UK To Ghana With His Ghana Card
A collage of Chris Vincent and his friend at Heathrow Airport and Dr Bawumia during the launch on Ghana card Photo credit: Chris Vincent-Agyapong (Facebook) and @GhanaPoliticalU (Twitter)
Source: Getty Images

He narrated that when his friend presented his Ghana Card as proof of his Ghanaian nationality, he successfully checked in for the flight without any issues.

The incident has sparked discussions about the convenience and practicality of the Ghana Card, touted as a valid travel document by Ghana's Vice President, Dr Bawumia.

The traveller's experience validates Bawumia's claim, highlighting the potential of the Ghana Card to simplify travel for Ghanaians residing abroad.

This newfound recognition raises questions about the necessity of traditional passports, especially for Ghanaians holding foreign citizenship.

The incident has left many considering the implications of this discovery, with some individuals indicating they might opt for the Ghana Card and their foreign passport instead of renewing their Ghanaian passport in the future.

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The successful use of the Ghana Card in international travel has bolstered confidence in Ghana's digitalization efforts, showcasing the practical applications of modern technology in simplifying bureaucratic processes for citizens.

Comments from social media users

YEN.com.gh collated some reactions from Facebook on the post

@Nhyiraba Anelka said:

Love this!❤️Fantastic news

@Osman Sessay wrote:

I used my Ghana card as my ID card in USA when I was asked to bring a valid ID to get my drivers license, as at then my passport had expired, the Ghana card was accepted. This happened almost 3 years ago

@Fieve D Karl Julius said:

This is a one-sided story. No country will prevent you from travelling to your own country without a Passport once you can proof you are citizen of the country you are travelling to using any national identification card. So I don't see any magic there.

@Daasebre Kwame Obeng Ameyaw wrote:

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He is a dual citizen and doesn’t need visa to go to Ghana and upon his return he will just use his British passport which also doesn’t require a Visa so what is the magic here?

@Kall Donals said:

They should improve the quality of the card then cus the rate at which it fades is absurd

Ghana card can make you travel anywhere in West Africa and Europe to follow

Earlier, the National Identification Authority's Director, Professor Ken Attafuah, revealed that Ghana's national ID card could be a passport for travel to Europe and other regions upon a protocol agreement with the European Union.

He emphasized the card's unique features, including the ability to travel within West Africa and the future potential to travel in Europe.

President's keen interest in the project highlighted the government's commitment to delivering this innovative initiative.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Magdalene Larnyoh avatar

Magdalene Larnyoh (Human-Interest editor) Magdalene Larnyoh writes for the Human Interest Desk at YEN.com.gh. She has over ten years of experience in media and communications. She previously worked for Citi FM, Pulse Ghana, and Business Insider Africa. She obtained a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in 2012. Reach out to her on magdalene.larnyoh@yen.com.gh