ICAO denies agreeing Ghana Card is e-passport

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has described as “incorrect” media reports that it has agreed that the Ghana’s National Identity card, the Ghana Card, is equivalent to an electronic passport.

It clarified that that decision can only be made by Ghana’s government as “it is the sovereign right of each individual state to decide upon its entry and exit requirements and the documents that need to be presented by those travelling to and/or from its territory”.

In a Twitter thread on Friday, February 11, the United Nations specialized agency for civil aviation emphasized that it is not its role to certify the use of a member’s ID card for international travel in place of a passport.

“Any decision to accept such alternative travel identity document is made by the receiving state itself.”

This comes after ICAO on Wednesday, February 9 held a ceremony to celebrate the completion of Ghana’s effort to make the Ghana Card an e-passport, a project spearheaded by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

ICAO had even congratulated Ghana for its decision to join the Public Key Directory (PKD).

Source : africaneditors.com