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My focus is on prez Mahama’s success, not NDC flagbearer race- Mustapha Gbande
The Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mustapha Gbande, says his main priority is to support President John Dramani Mahama to succeed rather than engage in discussions about who will become the party’s next flagbearer.
Speaking on Eyewitness News yesterday, July 15, 2026, with Umaru Sanda Amadu, he said he would not be distracted by speculation over the party’s future leadership.
Responding to questions about whether National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, popularly known as General Mosquito, could contest to become the NDC’s presidential candidate, Gbande said the chairman had not informed him of any such intention.
“General Mosquito is my father and my boss. He hasn’t told me that he wants to contest the election,” he said.
He stressed that his loyalty remains with President Mahama and that his focus is to help him succeed.
“My loyalty, whether the President likes me or not, is to the President. I want to see President Mahama succeed. If anybody thinks I will be silent, they are joking,” he said.
On the party’s upcoming internal elections, Gbande declined to support any potential candidate for the position of National Chairman.
He explained that the party’s guidelines do not allow premature campaigning or declarations of intention.
According to him, he had directed that no national officer should begin campaigning before the appropriate time because doing so would undermine the party’s internal processes.
Asked whether he intended to contest for any position himself, he said he was not campaigning and was not concerned about the outcome if he eventually decided to run.
“I don’t care whether I contest and lose or I don’t contest. The work I have done speaks for itself,” he said.
Gbande rejected suggestions that he was arrogant, saying he preferred to speak honestly about issues affecting the party.
He said many party members privately complain about challenges within the NDC but fail to express the same views publicly.
“I believe we should deal with problems directly instead of pretending they do not exist,” he said.
During the interview, he also claimed that former NDC Deputy General Secretary Koku Anyidoho was no longer a member of the party.
He further alleged that Anyidoho was acting as a consultant to former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, although he did not provide evidence to support the claim.
Gbande maintained that discipline and respect for the party’s rules are essential as the NDC prepares for its internal elections.
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
