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Ghana reaffirms commitment to south–south trade cooperation
Ghana has renewed its commitment to strengthening trade and cooperation among developing countries at the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP) Ministerial Meeting in Geneva.
The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, made this known on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, when she addressed ministers and senior officials from across the developing world.
She welcomed efforts to revive and modernize the GSTP, which was established in 1988 under the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to promote trade preferences among developing nations.
Madam Ofosu-Adjare explained that the GSTP remains a vital tool for expanding trade, investment, and technology exchange among developing countries, especially at a time when global trade faces challenges such as geopolitical tensions, debt burdens, and climate-related pressures.
“Ghana sees the GSTP as a platform to translate our collective market potential into concrete partnerships for value addition, innovation, and sustainable development,” she stated.
The Minister called for a careful and inclusive review of the São Paulo Round outcomes to ensure that future actions align with the current global context and the needs of developing economies.
She said the meeting provided an opportunity to assess progress and map out a practical approach for revitalizing the GSTP in a way that supports development.
Highlighting the president’s vision under the 24-hour economy, Industrial and Agribusiness Transformation Programme, she said Ghana aims to boost productivity, enhance trade competitiveness, and create jobs.
She added that Ghana’s role in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) places the country in a strong position to connect regional and inter-regional markets, which could speed up industrialization and export diversification across Africa.
Madam Ofosu-Adjare also encouraged members to include digital trade, green industrialization, and small business participation in the next phase of the GSTP.
She appealed to UNCTAD to provide technical support to help developing countries make the most of preferential trade opportunities.
Ghana’s participation in the GSTP Ministerial was part of its wider involvement in the UNCTAD XVI meetings, where the country is advocating for fairer trade, regional integration, and technology-driven economic transformation.
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
