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Charity, the true love that matters
Every love story is different. Whether it’s fictional or real, from our family history or our own lives, each story includes its share of heartaches and joys. Many are characterised by moving, poetic declarations of love and devotion. But the stories that stand the test of time are those that chronicle love in action: lived affection and demonstrated caring.
Ben and Suzzy’s love story is just that kind of story. Throughout their many years together, Ben was always generous with compliments. He often told his sweetheart what he loved about her appearance, her cooking, her efforts, and her hard work. Ben found ways to make Suzzy’s life easier. When he retired two years before she did, he prepared dinner every night so it was ready when she walked through the door. And although Ben was in intense pain during the last years of his life, he continued to find ways to show love. On holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, and just whenever he felt like it, he would give Suzzy flowers, a little gift, or a handwritten note of love and appreciation. He was always thinking of her.
After nearly five decades of marriage, Ben passed away and left his sweetheart to reminisce on all of the laughter, love, and devotion they shared. Suzzy said it this way: “Do I feel cherished? Oh, make no mistake it was the little things, the thoughtful, sweet things that Ben did every day that showed me how blessed I am.”
The words of the Apostle Paul provide a time-honoured description of authentic love, which Paul referred to as charity. “Charity,” he said, “suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not . . . , is not puffed up, . . . is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; . . . beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.”
All of these things are manifest in actions, not just in declarations. In the end, love is not something you say, it’s something you do—little by little, every day, year after year. This is the kind of love that never fails.
Warren Buffet is one of the world’s richest men, but he doesn’t measure success by how much money he has accumulated. Now in his late 70s, Buffet lives frugally considering his great wealth and has pledged to give most of his fortune to charity. He seeks no buildings or monuments to his name. He has said:
“I know people who have a lot of money, and they get testimonial dinners and hospital wings named after them. But the truth is that nobody in the world loves them. When you get to my age, you’ll measure your success in life by how many of the people you want to have love you actually do love you. That’s the ultimate test of how you’ve lived your life.”
Of course we want to live in the present, but good can also come from looking ahead, for each of us, the day will come when we leave loved ones behind with only thoughts and feelings, memories of our lives. What will others think and feel when our time comes? What will be our legacy? Most of us will never have a wing of the hospital bear our name, but no matter our worldly wealth, we all have loved ones who carry our names in their hearts.
As Warren Buffet said, that’s the ultimate test of a life well lived.
We know that no one takes any money or possessions with them hereafter, and so they don’t deserve undue focus in the here-and-now. Instead, we can strive to nurture loving relationships, strengthen family bonds, and focus our attention and priorities on the things that really matter. As we do, we come closer to passing the ultimate test which is to love one another.
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
