Ghana Imposes Moratorium on Independent Biometric Systems to Strengthen Data Security
The Office of the President has placed an immediate freeze on the procurement and use of independent biometric Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) across all government institutions. The directive, issued by the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama, marks a significant shift in how Ghana manages biometric and identification data. This decision isn’t just administrative — it’s a push toward efficiency, data protection, and digital standardization in government operations. Why the Ban Matters For years, different Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) have operated separate biometric systems, often running parallel databases for verification and identity management. This fragmented approach has been expensive, inconsistent, and a serious risk to data integrity. The new moratorium prohibits all MDAs and state institutions from: Developing or deploying independent biometric platforms. Running parallel biometric databases. Verifying identities using only visual […]