The Vice President and flagbearer of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has told organized labour that his commitment to ensuring the issuance of national identity card to the adult population of the country has paid off by significantly helping to formalize the Ghanaian economy.
At a meeting with the TUC in Accra on Wednesday to explain his vision and policies for Ghana, Dr. Bawumia noted that, for years, successive governments had operated an informal economy due to the exclusion of several members of the adult population in crucial areas, thus making accurate economic decisions difficult, hence his commitment to addressing the challenge.
"There was the need to formalize the economy to be able to address these age-old challenges of we are to move forward...I observed this in a book I wrote before I became Vice President, so upon getting the opportunity, I sought the permission of the President and he allowed me", he said.
Dr. Bawumia revealed a key step to formalizing the economy is a national identity card, the Ghana Card to be specific, which he further disclosed has been successfully issued to about 85% of the adult Ghanaian population.
He added the issuance of the card number at birth to newly-born children has also already begun.
"The Ghana Card has played a crucial role in helping to formalize the economy. With the Ghana card number also being a TIN number, it means government agencies such as the banks, GRA, Ghana Health Services etc. as well as the telcos now have the data to act and include everyone."
Dr. Bawumia also said in terms of financial inclusion which Ghana is number one in Africa, the Ghana card also helps as banks and telcos require the card for registrations to access services and generally the mobile money interoperability.
