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Edem Agbana calls for ethical standards in awards for public officials
Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana, has called for stricter ethical standards in the recognition of public officials, raising concerns about the credibility of awards that receive sponsorship from institutions supervised by award recipients.
In a statement titled “Public Office, Public Trust,” Mr. Agbana said he supports recognising public officials who perform their duties well and make a positive impact on the lives of Ghanaians.
He noted that public service requires sacrifice, commitment and leadership, and that exceptional performance deserves acknowledgement.
However, he questioned whether public officials should receive awards from events that solicit sponsorships or financial contributions from institutions they oversee.
According to him, public recognition should be based solely on performance, measurable outcomes and genuine impact, and should not be linked directly or indirectly to financial contributions.
“When organisers seek sponsorship from institutions and subsequently honour officials from those same institutions, they create legitimate concerns about fairness, independence and credibility,” he stated.
Mr. Agbana said such arrangements could weaken public trust and diminish the value of genuine excellence, even where no wrongdoing has occurred.
He cited allegations made by Michael Kpessah-White, who reportedly claimed that organisers requested payment in connection with an award nomination.
He further revealed that a public sector Chief Executive Officer privately shared a similar experience with him and decided not to participate in the event after organisers allegedly made financial demands.
The MP said the allegations raise serious concerns and should be subjected to careful scrutiny.
Addressing public discussions surrounding the Ghana Ministers of State Excellence Awards, Mr. Agbana clarified that the awards were not organised by the government but by a private event management company.
He noted that the awards were not being held for the first time, explaining that public officials under the previous administration also participated in and sponsored similar events.
According to him, the fact that previous administrations engaged in the practice does not justify its continuation.
“We criticised many of these practices in the past because we believed they weakened accountability and encouraged mediocrity. We should not defend them today,” he said.
Mr. Agbana stressed that Ghanaians elected the current government on a promise of reform and therefore expect higher standards, stronger public institutions and greater accountability.
He disclosed that after engaging with Deputy Chief of Staff, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, she assured him that government would develop a regulatory framework to guide the Corporate Social Responsibility activities of State-Owned Enterprises.
According to him, the committee responsible for the framework has already begun its work.
He welcomed the initiative and expressed hope that it would establish clear standards that promote transparency, accountability and good governance.
Mr. Agbana urged public officials to conduct themselves in ways that strengthen public confidence in state institutions, adding that excellence should be recognised on merit and performance rewarded fairly.
He said Ghanaians would judge the government’s Reset Agenda by the policies it implements and the standards it upholds, rather than by rhetoric alone.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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
