The Ghana Publishing Company Limited (GPCL) has rolled out Gazette 360, a nationwide public education campaign designed to deepen public understanding of the Ghana Gazette and make access to the official journal easier for all citizens.

The campaign, which will feature media engagements, community outreach, and digital learning platforms, seeks to demystify the Gazette, highlight its importance in legal and civic life, and protect the public from fraudulent publications.

It also aims to ensure that individuals, businesses, and institutions know how to obtain authentic gazettes and use them as reliable legal references.

Under the theme “Know it, Use it, Trust it,” Gazette 360 emphasizes transparency, accountability, and the protection of Ghana’s democratic governance.

Launching the initiative in Accra, GPCL’s Managing Director, Nana Kwasi Boatey, said the Gazette had been upgraded with new security features, including a gold coat of arms and watermarks, to prevent counterfeiting.

He explained that the features were not ornamental but crucial safeguards to track authenticity.

He revealed that electronic verification systems were also being developed to make it easier for the public to confirm genuine publications.

Mr. Boatey cautioned that fake gazettes were damaging the reputations of many Ghanaians through fraudulent marriages and name changes.

He stressed that those who falsify the Gazette were “waging war against the state” and warned that offenders would be pursued, arrested, and prosecuted.

He urged the media to support the fight against fake gazettes, describing the campaign as a national responsibility to protect the integrity of Ghana’s most authoritative legal record.

GPCL’s Corporate Affairs Manager, Lantam Papanko, explained that Gazette 360 was created to break down misconceptions about the Gazette and highlight its relevance to everyday life.

He said the campaign would not only involve the press but also extend into schools, universities, churches, mosques, and community forums, so that every Ghanaian could understand the Gazette and its role in governance.

Mr. Papanko stressed that Gazette 360 was not just a GPCL initiative but a national campaign calling on citizens to value truth, legality, and integrity in public records.

He thanked MarryRight Ghana and AngloGold Ashanti for their partnership and called on the media to keep the conversation alive.

Operations Manager at MarryRight Ghana, Barimah Agyemang, said marriage officers and venues must be published in the Gazette to give weddings legal force.

He warned that ceremonies conducted without proper gazetting risked lacking binding legal authority, which could expose couples and institutions to legal disputes.

Mr. Agyemang pledged MarryRight’s support in spreading the campaign’s message nationwide and commended GPCL for taking steps to protect the integrity of marriages and other legal processes.

Background

The Ghana Gazette is the official journal of record of the Republic of Ghana. It publishes laws, parliamentary instruments, government notices, company registrations, and other legal documents.

Any information published in the Gazette is legally recognized and enforceable, making it a trusted source of communication between the state and the public.

By: Jacob Aggrey