The Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms, Hon. Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, has unveiled an ambitious plan to combat age fraud in Ghana’s public service by introducing a cradle-to-career identity tracking system.
The proposal, which hinges on assigning every Ghanaian child a unique identification number at birth, is expected to revolutionize retirement planning, public sector hiring, and long-term national policy development.
“I have looked at what has been done previously and one of the issues that I’ve seen in the public service or in the public sector is about the retirement age”
Hon. Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms
Speaking on the challenges she encountered since her appointment, the Member of Parliament for Tempane revealed that age discrepancies within the public sector remain a major impediment to efficient planning and resource allocation.
According to her, age-related fraud has caused confusion in determining accurate retirement timelines, resulting in irregular staffing structures across government institutions.
The minister believes that linking individuals to a consistent identity number from birth would resolve many of these challenges by providing a seamless digital trail throughout every citizen’s lifecycle.
Data Consistency
Akanvariba emphasized that the proposed identity system would support more efficient governance by eliminating the need for punitive measures.
With real-time data on citizens’ age, workforce entry, and expected retirement, she argued, government agencies would be better positioned to anticipate public service needs.
“If there was a way that from birth, a person is given a certain number that is used to track them from then up to the time they’ll be entering the services and the time they’ll be going on retirement, it’ll be easy for policy formulation and planning”
Hon. Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms
The initiative is expected to assist authorities in calculating how many people are approaching retirement and how many new personnel need to be recruited, enabling systematic workforce renewal across ministries and departments.
Collaborative Efforts
Hon. Akanvariba noted that her ministry will work closely with the Ministry of Gender, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Local Government to develop a robust policy framework for implementing the new system.
She underscored that such collaboration is necessary to ensure successful execution by putting together policy proposals for the most efficient, effective and “easy” way of implementing the initiative.
She also identified the Passport Office and the Registrar of Births and Deaths as critical stakeholders whose databases would be instrumental in operationalizing the identity model.
Improving Access
The proposed national identity number would not only aid in public sector planning but also streamline the process of acquiring official documents such as birth certificates and passports.
Akanvariba explained that a unified number would link essential services, making it easier for citizens to access public records and navigate bureaucratic procedures.
“The passport office will be able to tell you that these are the number of people who have registered for a passport.
“People at all times need their birth certificate to go for a passport. This number will help people to be able to get their birth certificates and then from there to go for their passports easily”
Hon. Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms
The minister added that the use of a single identification number from birth will support inclusive national planning for health, education, and labor, further enhancing the government’s drive for digitized and accountable governance in 2025.
Upholding Ethics
Alongside identity tracking, Akanvariba also hinted at plans to reform the ethical code of conduct within the public sector.
“It is important that we make some reforms and try to integrate them,” she said, suggesting that ethical changes must be merged with administrative changes to instill integrity in government operations.
This further aligns with the government’s broader vision of transparent and efficient governance, particularly in a public service landscape often challenged by undocumented discrepancies and weak accountability structures.
With this new initiative, the Ministry of Public Sector Reforms aims to build a system that not only curbs age fraud but also supports long-term national planning rooted in verifiable data and ethical governance.
