News
13 family members behind bars, fined GH¢650,000 for contempt
Thirteen members of a family in the Ashanti Region have been put behind bars after the Asante Mampong High Court fined each of them GH¢50,000 for contempt.
They were alleged to have defied a court injunction and gone ahead to conduct an Islamic marriage ceremony involving a woman who was still legally married to another man.
The ruling, delivered by Justice William Boampong after a two-year legal battle, brought to a dramatic end a domestic dispute that traversed both the traditional court of the Asantehemaa at Manhyia and the High Court, culminating in their imprisonment.
At the time of filing this report on Monday, the 13 family members were still behind bars for their inability to pay the fine.
At the centre of the storm is Hajia Alima Issah, the fourth wife of Alhaji Abass — a businessman widely known in the region as “Alhaji Abass Transport.” The couple share five children.
According to court records, Hajia Issah left the matrimonial home to visit her parents, and approximately one month later, her family facilitated her marriage to another man, notwithstanding her existing union with Alhaji Abass.
The family was served with a High Court injunction but the Court records showed that they proceeded with the ceremony and found them guilty of wilfully disobeying its lawful order.
Upon learning of the development, Alhaji Abass first took the matter to the traditional court of the Asantehemaa, which reportedly issued an injunction restraining Hajia Issah’s family from facilitating any new marriage.
Alhaji Abass then filed an application at the Asante Mampong High Court, which granted an injunction against the proposed marriage, a move that was served on the family members by officials of the court.
That notwithstanding, the family allegedly proceeded to supervise and conduct the Islamic marriage ceremony between Hajia Issah and her new husband.
The court subsequently cited 13 family members for contempt of court, accusing them of wilfully disobeying its lawful order.
Justice Boampong, delivering judgment on the matter, found all 13 respondents guilty and imposed a fine of GH¢50,000 on each. Those who failed to pay the fine faced a 30-day custodial sentence, to be served ahead of the hearing of the substantive case.
Three of the cited respondents did not appear before the court for the ruling, forcing Justice Boampong to issue a bench warrants for their arrest.
The 13 convicted family members were taken into custody following the ruling and remained behind bars at the time of filing the report, as relatives and associates reportedly moved around to raise the funds required to secure their release.
With each fine set at GH¢50,000, the aggregate sum owed by the group amounts to GH¢650,000.The substantive case, which concerns the validity of the competing marriages and the rights of the parties involved, is yet to be heard.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced the commencement of enforcement of the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523), warning institutions that fail to comply with the new requirements of possible fines of up to 2,000 penalty units.
The Authority says it will deploy a Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force to inspect institutions and ensure they comply with the regulations, following the expiration of a three-month grace period granted to businesses and public institutions.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, November 2, 2026, the NIA’s Corporate Affairs representative, William Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, said the Authority had completed its public education and stakeholder engagement activities and was now moving into the enforcement and compliance monitoring phase.
He explained that the regulations require institutions that verify the identities of customers or applicants as part of their operations to use the NIA’s approved biometric verification platform instead of relying solely on visual inspection of the Ghana Card.
Under the new rules, institutions are prohibited from photocopying, scanning or keeping copies of the Ghana Card for identity verification purposes.
Mr Darlas stressed that simply collecting a customer’s Ghana Card, looking at the photograph and comparing it with the person presenting it would no longer be accepted as a valid method of identity verification.
He, however, clarified that the Ghana Card remains the country’s official national identity document and that citizens are not required to register for a new card or capture their biometrics again under the new regulations.
He said the new system is intended to reduce identity fraud, impersonation and other crimes by ensuring that the person presenting the Ghana Card is the actual owner.
According to him, the biometric verification process will rely on information already captured during Ghana Card registration, including fingerprints, iris details and facial features stored in the card’s chip.
Mr Darlas warned institutions against using third-party companies or individuals to access the NIA’s identity verification platform, insisting that the Authority does not work with intermediaries.
He said institutions seeking access to the National Identity Register must deal directly with the NIA and complete its official onboarding process.
The process requires institutions to prove that they are legally registered companies in Ghana, obtain certification from the Data Protection Commission and work with the NIA’s technical team to establish the necessary connection to its platform.
He further cautioned institutions already connected to the platform against subletting their access to other businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
He disclosed that the Authority had received reports of some institutions providing their verification services to other businesses without the NIA’s approval and warned that those involved would face legal action.
Mr Darlas said organisations that fail to comply with L.I. 2523 could face fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 penalty units, depending on the nature of the offence.
He explained that the NIA does not have the authority to impose the fines directly but would take offenders to court for the appropriate punishment.
He indicated that Institutions found guilty could also face additional administrative measures, including being barred from accessing the NIA’s verification platform in the future.
The NIA representative further clarified that the new regulations do not prohibit all institutions from physically using the Ghana Card during transactions.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Publishing Company Limited, Nana Kwesi Boatey, has revealed how he transformed a major overstaffing challenge into a success story through the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, November 2, Mr. Boatey disclosed that when he assumed office in February 2025, and inherited a bloated workforce of 250 employees doing work that could be efficiently handled by 150 people, a situation that created serious liquidity challenges for the state-owned company.
Instead of resorting to downsizing, he adopted an innovative approach by instituting a 24-hour operational system.
Under the new system, staff were redistributed across three shifts: 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and 10 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
This not only ensured optimal use of labour but also maximized machine utilization and improved overall output.
According to him, the single move redefined the productivity culture within the company, reinforcing discipline, accountability, and efficiency.
The Ghana Publishing Company’s turnaround is being cited as a practical example of how the 24-Hour Economy policy can drive growth without job losses.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
