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Christian Council calls for mindset change towards environment
The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has called for a sustained mindset change towards environmental care and cleanliness as part of efforts to eliminate malaria in Ghana and across sub-Saharan Africa.
The council made the call in a statement signed by the Reverend Dr Cyril Fayose, General Secretary, to mark this year’s World Malaria Day, observed on the theme: ‘Driven to end malaria: Now we can. Now we must.’
The council noted that malaria, mostly found in tropical and subtropical climates, continued to pose a major public health challenge, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
It said the disease killed more than 569,000 people annually, accounting for about 95 per cent of global malaria deaths, with children under five years making up about 75 to 76 per cent of the fatalities.
The council commended the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the relevance of this year’s theme and called for increased global funding and stronger collective action to end the disease.
“In this AI-driven 21st Century, the global community, especially the millions of people living in malaria-prone sub-Saharan Africa, can and must fight to end the scourge of malaria,” the statement highlighted.
Again, the council said malaria could be significantly reduced if people took the biblical mandate in Genesis 2:15 to care for the environment seriously.
As part of efforts to promote environmental responsibility, the CCG said it was partnering the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to launch the Environmental Care and Cleanliness (ECC) Programme on Thursday, April 30, 2026, at the Rev. Paul Wiegrabe Parish of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana in Nima.
It mentioned that the initiative formed part of broader efforts to encourage cleaner communities and reduce environmental conditions that promote mosquito breeding.
The council also noted that this year’s annual Christian Home Week celebrations would feature a study booklet on the theme: ‘A clean environment: Our responsibility!’ as part of awareness creation and advocacy.
It then urged the global community and stakeholders in Ghana to promote community-level environmental management and personal protection strategies in order to help end malaria and its related challenges.
Furthermore, the statement called on both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to collaborate in sustaining environmental cleanliness initiatives to protect lives and improve public health.
“On this occasion of World Malaria Day, therefore, the CCG calls on governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to work together to end malaria through a sustained mindset change on general environmental care and cleanliness initiatives,” it added.
The Council wished all Ghanaians a meaningful World Malaria Day celebration. –GNA
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
