NIA Clarifies Controversy Over Possession Of Ghana Card By Chinese Woman –Huang En

The attention of the National Identification Authority (NIA) has been drawn to mainstream and social media reports and discussions on the arrest in Ghana of a Chinese National popularly known as AISHA HUANG, who was found to be in possession of Ghana Card bearing the name HUANG EN. The NIA wishes to respond to, and clarify, the situation as follows:

1. Since 2012, our law has required all foreigners permanently resident in Ghana (i.e., 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.

2. The card issued to such qualified foreigners is the “NON-CITIZEN IDENTITY CARD” and is so captioned in 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. Sample images of the citizen and non-citizen cards are attached

3. The qualified foreign applicants pay a statutory fee of USD120.00 for the Non-Citizen Identity Card which is valid for one year and is renewable every year at a fee of USD60.00.

4. The National Identity Register (NIR) compiled by NIA does NOT contain any record of a person named AISHA HUANG. Put differently, the name AISHA HUANG does not exist in the National Identification System (NIS) database.

5. On 26^th February 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 centreat Nhyiaeso, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region (passport attached).Her biometrics were captured and she was issued with a Non-citizen Ghana Card. She subsequently did two more renewals on 31^st August 2016 and 8^th January 2018, using the same details and Chinese passport numberG39575625. Throughout all these registrations her details remained unchanged as below.

Forename: En

Surname: Huang

Date of Birth: 07-Jul-86

Personal ID Number: CHN-010039480-J

Passport Number: G39575625

6. On 25^th August 2022 at 10:35 am, an incident occurred at the FIMS Registration Centre in Tamale, Northern Region,involving a Chinese national who visited the centreas a first-timeapplicant with the following details:

Forename: RUIXIA

Surname: HUANG

Date of Birth: 07-Nov-75

Passport Number: EJ5891162

7. The registration,however, went into a technical state known as ‘RejectedDueAFIS’, which meant that the biometrics of RUIXIA HUANG possibly matched that of an already existing person in the NIS database. The registration officer therefore sent a request to the technical support team for further investigations. This revealed that, based on the biometrics provided,“RUIXIA HUANG” had previously registered as EN HUANG in the FIMS record under the NIS database. When confronted by the registration officer with this information, she claimed to have changed her name. As per NIA’s normal registration process, EN HUANGwas 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.

8. EN HUANGwas then given the option of waiting to bring in the required documents before her details could be updated or renewing her old registration with her Personal ID Number CHN-010039480-J,without any change in details. She opted to renew with the 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. Her renewed Non-Citizen Ghana Card was then issued to her on 25^th August 2022, bearing the details below:

Forename: EN

Surname: HUANG

Date of Birth: 07-Jul-86

Personal ID Number: CHN-010039480-J

9. HUANG EN opted to renew with the old details and then go through the affidavit and gazette process later, after which she would then provide the documents for the update to be done. HerrenewedNon-CitizenGhana Card was then issued to her on 25^thAugust 2022,bearingthe old details. This card is what is now impugned and trending on social media (Images attached).

10. It must be emphasized that possession of the Non-Citizen Ghana Card does not confer or amount to having Ghanaian citizenship.
11. 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.

12. The matter is being investigated by the security agencies.

13. The NIA wishes to assure the general public that its technical system remains robust, and it will continue to jealously guard the boundaries of Ghanaian citizenship and prevent unqualified foreigners from obtaining the Ghana Card meant for Ghanaian citizens.

Signed

Dr. ABUDU-ABDUL GANIYU

Ag. Head, Corporate Affairs