Parliamentary Select Committees pay working visit to Margins Group

BY:YESMEEN ABUBAKAR TETTEH

Members of two parliamentary committees have praised Margins ID Group and its subsidiary Intelligent Card Production System (ICPS) for the delivery of the Ghana Card through the National Identification System.

They made the commendation during a visit to the factory built by Margins Group, which is producing the Ghana Card.

The MPs witnessed real-time production of the Ghana Card and gained a comprehensive understanding of the project.

Margins ID Group is the private technical partner using its subsidiary ICPS, which helped the National Identification Authority to deliver the Ghana Card project.

Members of the Defence and Interior and Subsidiary Legislation Committees toured the factory to familiarize themselves with its operations and the facility’s 20-year history of manufacturing.

After the tour, Chairman of the Subsidiary Legislation Committee, Dr. Dominic Ayine, said they were impressed with the operations of the state-of-the-art factory.

He was impressed with the complex setup of the company, saying he was awestruck.

According to him, the card is multifunctional and has several advantages for the country in terms of fiscal stability, the promotion of tax compliance, promoting the registration of businesses, and also social inclusion.

Dr. Dominic Ayine mentioned that the card will also cater to areas that have not come to the minds of parliamentarians when it comes to the Ghana card.

He added that it was important for parliamentarians to be present at the event because it seems the discourse in parliament about the Ghana card has always been about its application to politics, such as the registration of voters and its use in elections.

He said that the event has shown everyone that the Ghana Card goes beyond the uni-directional utilization that has often been portrayed.

Dr. Ayine, the incumbent who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga East Constituency, is convinced that with more public education on the various uses of the card, criticisms of the card would be minimized.

According to him, visiting the company has given him the opportunity to disburse his mind of the negative things some people say about the company.

Vice-chair of the Defence and Interior Committee, Ophelia Mensah Hayford, was also impressed with the company and said she understood the process the company goes through to print the Ghana Card.

With the visit, she said they can speak authoritatively with facts to dispel negative information some people say about the project.

Madam Hayford, who is the MP for Mfantseman in the Central Region, said the exercise was highly fruitful and educational.

She mentioned that the MPs present at the event departed with a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the Ghana Card, especially regarding the processes that technicians undergo to produce the card, including certain unique security features.

Outgoing Deputy Minister for Energy, William Owuraku Aidoo, stated that he was amazed by the demonstrations at the event.

He expressed happiness that the exercise had successfully dispelled misconceptions among members of parliament regarding several issues related to the Ghana Card.

He voiced concern about the widespread misinformation surrounding the Ghana Card but remained optimistic that the education provided at the event would help address such misinformation, particularly concerning the costs involved in the production of the card.

Mr. Aidoo, who is the MP for Afigya Kwabre South Constituency, encouraged further education on the Ghana Card.

The engagement highlighted the Government of Ghana’s longstanding efforts to establish a functional national ID system, culminating in a successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between Margins ID Group and the National Identification Authority of Ghana.

This collaboration has resulted in registering over 85% of Ghana’s adult population from 15 and above.

Mr. Baiden elaborated on the PPP framework, emphasizing the private partner’s role in conceptualizing, designing, and building the National ID System.

Notably, the private partner has independently funded the project; including financing and producing all cards in advance for the National Identification Authority of Ghana and the government of Ghana.

Following a presentation, the delegation toured the facility, witnessing the Ghana Card production process firsthand, including demonstrations of security features and rigorous testing procedures.

Intelligent Card Production Systems (ICPS), a multiple award-winning manufacturing arm of Margins ID Group, holds certifications at the highest global standards, including ISO 9001:2015, PCI Security Standards Council, Europay, MasterCard, and Visa.

It stands as the only facility in Sub-Saharan Africa certified by Integraf to central banking level.