Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, has clarified that the Ghana Card cannot be used exclusively as an international travelling document as yet.
This means that the passport and travel certificate remain the official documents for travelling outside the country.
Sector Minister, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, gave this clarification, responding to questions in Parliament on Tuesday, June 14, 2022.
“The Ghana Card is not a replacement for the current biometric passport. The Ghana card serves as an optional travel document to be used in tandem with our biometric passport. It must be underscored that the passport together with the traffic certificates are the only approved travel documents that are internationally recognized”, she said.
Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchway on the floor of Parliament, however, said the processes for the Ghana card to be accepted as a document for international travel, are yet to be finalized.
“At the moment, the Ghana Card cannot be used for travelling to other countries, either within or outside of ECOWAS. That will require bilateral agreements with countries for their authorities to accept the card as a travel document. The Ministry is in active discussions with ECOWAS member states and our bilateral partners to achieve this”, she explained.